38 - Tension
by Bluebird0032
Summary: Growing up, Mark found out that many men he had known and trusted were criminals. But nothing would ever prepare him for the day when his own father would try to kill him. — Rated T for violence and intense situations —


_**Tension**_

The McCain men and their hired hands had been on the trail for eight days. Lucas had taken the midnight watch and was enjoying the quiet summer evening when, out of the corner of his eye, the rancher saw something moving. He turned to see his son walking away from camp, his limp heavier than usual. Curious but not concerned, Lucas returned his attention to the cattle; softly humming as the summer breeze wisped across the barren, dry land. His thoughts were quickly diverged to the wife and daughter he had left at home. It was hard for Lucas to fathom the fact that Lydia was already four years old… time had passed all too quickly. He remembered the day Lydia was born... the night Milly told him that she was expecting… he thought back to when he had finally made Milly his wife, and the day he knew that one day, she would be. He remembered lying in bed as his son asked him, "Miss Milly… isn't she something like Ma was?" His boy had been right… more right than he realized. Lucas thought back to the first time he had met Milly… how both their tempers flared and how yet, through it all, something special and unbreaking had been created. A soft smile rested on the rancher's face as he thought about the family and life he had been blessed with.

A few hours had passed and Lucas roused Pete to stand watch. As the rancher was returning to his bedroll, he suddenly realized his son had yet to return to camp. He was getting ready to go look for Mark when he saw his son walking across the land, back towards everyone else.

As Mark settled back into his bedroll, he suddenly heard his father's voice beside him.

"You alright, Son?"

Mark jumped and then relaxed as he let out a deep breath.

"Having a hard time getting to sleep is all."

"Your leg alright?"

"Just acting up a little. Can't wait till we get to market and I can sleep in a real bed…"

"You and me both."

"Whatever happened to us moving the cattle by train once the railroad got put in?"

"I keep asking myself that same question… and then I look at the books."

Mark shook his head and placed his hat over his eyes.

"One of these days we'll just be able to hire a bunch of hands to take the cattle to market and we'll be able to just stay home."

"I thought you liked doing the cattle drives?"

"...The more my family grows, the less fond of spending two to three weeks away from them every year I become."

"Are you trying to tell me something?" Lucas teasingly asked.

"Matthew's not even one yet!"

"Stranger things have happened."

"...If Cassie got pregnant again, I'd be ecstatic… but I'd be worried about her body being put under too much stress."

"I thought those pills she was taking were helping?"

"They are, but Matthew's still waking up a lot at night and you know the mischief Daniel's starting to get himself into…"

"A child of Mark McCain? Getting into mischief? I don't believe it," he laughed.

"And then the fact that we _still_ don't have the house done…" Mark let out a heavy sigh. "It'll be nice when things simmer down."

"Just enjoy it while you can. Before you know it, twenty-some years will have gone by and you'll be wondering whatever happened to the days when you were chasing Daniel through that unfinished house."

"...Pa, speaking of twenty years going by…"

By the tone of Mark's voice, Lucas knew what his son was thinking about.

"...What about it?"

"...Twenty years… it is coming up. Maybe… maybe we could go... then?"

"...We'll talk about it when the time gets closer."

"...Alright."

"We better catch whatever sleep we can, the sun will be up soon."

"Goodnight, Pa."

Morning came much too quickly for everyone, the sun calling them to get a move on. Just after noon the McCain cattle were herded into corrals and Lucas and Mark went about selling their livestock. Several hours later with the business finished and the hands paid, Lucas and Mark made their way to the hotel to register and finally soak in a nice, warm bath. Lucas returned to their hotel room after he was done and went over a few final details in the ledger. Satisfied that everything was in order, the rancher stretched his tall frame across the bed and caught a few minutes of sleep before he heard his son returning.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Mark said as Lucas sat up.

"I shouldn't sleep too long anyway or I won't be able to get any sleep tonight." Lucas watched as his son crossed the room before asking, "Mark, are you sure your leg is alright?"

"It'll be fine; I just landed on it funny when Duster threw me yesterday."

"Wait just a minute," Lucas stood and walked towards his son. "Just when did Duster throw you?"

"When I was riding the back of the herd yesterday morning. He's been acting up all week… finally had enough of the trail I guess."

"Mark, you should have told me. What if you had hit your head or-"

"I didn't and I'm fine. It was no big deal; you know as well as I do that it wasn't the first time I've taken a tumble from a horse."

Sitting down on the bed, Lucas shook his head.

"...So just what is your plan? Duster has been giving you trouble all season… he's obviously not cut out to be a ranching horse."

"I know… I just…" Mark let out a heavy sigh as he walked to the window and looked down the street. "...I guess I keep telling myself that if I hold out just a little bit longer, BlueBoy will be healed enough for me to ride him regularly again. ...But I know it's not going to happen."

"The other horses weren't hurt that badly, if at all. Have you thought about using one of them?"

"...They're just not… right. I don't know how to explain it, but… there's just not that connection. I know no horse will be like BlueBoy, but… I know that they're not the right horse. Guess it sounds kinda silly… but they'd be worth too much to use as a working horse, anyway."

"I understand. Especially as a rancher, you have to have as much trust in a horse as it has in you and part of that comes from how well you can connect with that horse. The right… or wrong horse can be the difference between life and death. Which is why I would've appreciated it if you would have told me when Duster threw you."

"I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"Just the same, I wouldn't have let you ride the back by yourself had I known. If he had thrown you and something happened… it could've been hours before we realized it."

"If…"

"Don't you say it," Lucas sternly ordered, pointing a finger at his son.

Before long, father and son had broken into laughter.

"Come on," Lucas said, giving his son a slap on the shoulder. "Let's let our wives know we made it and then get something to eat."

"No arguments here."

After wiring Milly and Cassie to let them know they would be home in a few days, Lucas and Mark made their way to a restaurant down the street from their hotel and ordered supper; Mark getting a double order of apple pie. Conversation varied from family, to the construction of Mark and Cassie's home, to politics, to memories of cattle drives past. Eventually, Mark changed the subject, his entire demeanor shifting.

"...Pa, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"I thought something might be eating at you… what's wrong?"

"Well nothing's wrong, per say, I'm just not exactly sure how to tell you or what your reaction will be."

"My reaction?"

"...With the exception of the months Ma was in Vendix… and my disappearance, we've always spent the holidays together… whether we actually celebrated them or not. That's something I'm thankful for and something I enjoy."

"But…?" Lucas was hesitant, unsure of what Mark was getting at.

"But Edwin brought something to my attention while he and Ara were here. I realize… well, I've been sort of selfish with Cassie. I fully acknowledged Ara as Cassie's mother and was happy to see their relationship grow and develop… but the rest of Cassie's family… the rest of our family, was here and I never really realized just how alone Ara must have felt. I never really took the time to consider how much Cassie means to Ara and how hard it must have been… how hard it must be on her to live so far away. I love you and Ma and Lydia, and I love our family getting together for the holidays… the time we spend together is something real special. But after five years, I think it's time that we spend a holiday with Ara. I don't want to be gone too long with the cattle and the horses and everything, and I know Cass will want to be here when Anna gets back from school for Christmas... so I… I thought it would be best if we spent Thanksgiving in New Jersey."

"You look more nervous than you did when you asked for my blessing to get married," Lucas laughed. "I understand, Son. As much as I hate to, we do have to share you and Cassie and the boys with her side of the family. ...I know the house has ended up costing a lot more than you thought it would… do you have enough to cover the train fairs?"

"Yeah, there's plenty left. Although I will say I'm glad I decided to put most of that money from Mr. Hanes away; I don't know what we would have done without it."

"I thought you had money in savings before that?"

Mark's mind reeled as he tried to come up with an explanation.

"...You know how it is, little expenses here and there… building the barn… Cassie getting sick…"

"True. The Good Lord always provides away."

"That he does…"

"Well, we should get on back to the hotel if you're wanting to start back home first thing tomorrow."

"If you want to stick around for a few days, Pa… I really don't want you feeling like you have to-"

"You did want to go after those horses, didn't you?"

"If I have time, but I can skip it if you need to rest up… I know how tired you old folk can get," he teased.

"Old folk, huh?" Lucas raised his eyebrows at his son.

"Did I say old? I meant ancient."

"Are you _wanting_ to ride all the way across the territory by yourself?"

"It'd sure be a whole lot quicker…"

Lucas playfully slapped Mark on the back of the head before the two men paid for their meals and returned to the hotel.

**1MC1**

It was nearing midnight several days later when Lucas and Mark were finally unsaddling their horses in Lucas's barn.

"I don't know why I let you talk me into finishing the trip tonight," Lucas yawned.

"You wanted to sleep in your own bed as much as I did. Besides, if we rode in tomorrow morning, we might just be tempted to sleep the whole day away."

"Never stopped you before," Lucas chuckled.

"My wife wouldn't be very happy if I slept through our anniversary."

"No, I guess she wouldn't."

"Papa!"

Lucas and Mark turned around to see Lydia in her nightgown, running towards them. Lucas scooped Lydia up and gave her a big hug.

"Lydia Grace, what in the world are you doing up this time of night?"

"Mama said me wait for you."

"Your Ma didn't know we were coming?"

"I told her you come."

"Where is your Ma?"

"She's asleep."

"...I have a feeling your Ma's plan backfired on her," he laughed.

"Hey now, do I get a hug from my little sister?"

Lydia reached out and Mark took his sister from his Pa before she gave him a big hug.

"Mark, you stink!"

"Yeah," Mark chuckled. "I reckon I do."

"Mark, if you want to go ahead and wash up, I'm going to get her to bed before I join you."

"Alright."

Lucas took Lydia back from his son and carried her inside where he found Milly asleep in his chair. He softly chuckled before carrying Lydia to his room and tucking her into bed.

"You go to sleep now."

"Papa, you read to me?" Lydia asked, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Tomorrow, it's too late for a bedtime story tonight."

"But Papa…"

Lucas bent down and gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight."

Lucas walked back out to the front room and gently shook his wife awake. Milly slowly began to rouse, confusion on her face as she looked up to see Lucas standing beside her.

"What… Lucas, when did you get home?"

Lucas gave her a long kiss before pulling back and smiling.

"Just a little while ago. Little Miss McCain came out to greet us."

"She what? How could she have possibly… every night since you wired us she's asked to stay up and fell asleep within fifteen minutes…"

"I don't think it'll take her long now; I just put her to bed and she was already yawning."

"I'm sorry, Lucas, I-"

"What are you sorry for?"

"Well I certainly didn't mean for you to have to put her down. You must be exhausted."

"I think I can manage putting my daughter to bed," Lucas chuckled, giving Milly a kiss on the forehead. "I'll be in as soon as I clean up."

Milly stood and gave Lucas one more kiss before disappearing inside the bedroom. Lucas joined his son on the back porch and began cleaning up.

"So what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"There's a lake about an hour from town I took her to a few times the summer we got engaged. I talked to Ma before we left and she agreed to watch the boys while I take Cassie out there for a picnic lunch. Then I'm going to take her to dinner at the hotel tomorrow night, as long as the boys are behaving."

"Behaving or not, we can take care of them."

"Thanks, Pa." Mark finished drying himself off before hanging the towel back on the hook. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Son."

Mark walked inside and quietly made his way to his bedroom. He checked on the boys and pulled a blanket over them before changing and getting in bed beside his wife, draping an arm around her.

Though he had slept for several hours, Mark felt as though he had just fallen asleep when the rooster crowed the following morning. Mark saw his wife beginning to stir and gave her a kiss on the back of the neck, unprepared for the resounding slap he received when his wife turned around.

"What was that for?" Mark rubbed his cheek, surprised by just how much it stung.

Cassie gasped and covered her hand with her mouth as she realized just who she had hit.

"Oh, Mark, I'm so sorry…" Cassie reached out and put a hand to Mark's other cheek. "I… I had been dreaming about… and when I felt you…"

"I'm sorry… I should've realized you weren't expecting to wake up with me beside you."

Cassie put her free hand to Mark's other cheek and gave him a long kiss. After they separated, Mark pulled her close again as they both fell back onto the bed.

"Happy anniversary," Mark whispered.

Cassie smiled back at Mark and gave him a quick kiss.

"When did you get home?"

"A little before midnight. We would've been home sooner, but I caught two wild stallions and they gave us a little bit of trouble."

Cassie's eyes lit up as Mark mentioned the horses.

"What kind were they?"

"One's a brown and white paint and the other is a beautiful black Andalusian horse. They might take a bit of work to tame, but they'll be well worth it when it comes time to breed them."

"You're not planning on cross breeding the Andalusian, are you?"

"No," Mark assured with a chuckle. "That string of horses Mitchel recommended had an Andalusian mare, remember?"

"That's right… oh, I can't wait to see their offspring."

Cassie and Mark suddenly turned as they heard Daniel call for Mark. The little boy ran to his parents' bed and waited for Mark to pick him up.

"Well howdy, Partner."

"Papa, you come home!"

"Well I said I would, didn't I? Your Mama wouldn't be too happy with me if I didn't."

"You p'ay wi' me?"

"Sorry, but today your Ma and I have plans just as soon as we get a few things done around here."

"Plans?" Cassie asked.

"You didn't think I'd forget to plan something for our fifth anniversary, did you?"

"I just… you've been so busy with the cattle… and the horses... and the house."

Mark gave his wife another kiss before replying.

"I wouldn't dare miss today."

After the morning chores had been done, the cattle were checked, and Cassie had tended to a few things at the house, Mark and Cassie said goodbye to their boys and rode out, Mark leading the way. After riding for about a half hour, Cassie finally figured out where they were going.

"I should've known," she laughed.

"Just promise you won't send us both into the lake again."

"You were the one who decided to pick me up!"

Mark and Cassie made it to the lake a little over an hour later and enjoyed a peaceful, quiet lunch. They reminisced about the past and talked of their dreams for the future. All was well until Mark suggested they go for a walk around the lake. He instantly saw a hesitant look come into Cassie's eyes as she subconsciously shrank back.

"Cassie, what's wrong?"

"...Nothing, it's nothing." Cassie shook her head and tried forcing a smile onto her face. "I'd love to go for a walk."

"Don't do this, Cass, especially not today."

"I… we don't need to talk about it."

"Yes, we do." Mark took his wife's hand. "What is it?"

Cassie looked away, then back at her husband.

"...I'm sorry, Mark… this isn't something I should be bringing up on a day like today…"

"Cassie, whatever it is, I don't care what day it is. All I want is you to feel free enough to tell me."

Cassie turned and looked across the lake at a small dock.

"...That's where I told you."

"I'm sorry, Cass, I should have remembered. It was stupid of me to bring you out here."

"No… no, I'm sorry. I just… with you gone the last few weeks… when you're not here, that's when the dreams start coming back and…" Cassie took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "...But that's all in the past. Really, I would love to go on a walk."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Cassie leaned forward and gave Mark a kiss.

"As long as we're together, I'll always be alright."

Mark looked into his wife's eyes and knew she was okay. He helped her up and arm in arm they took a leisurely walk around the lake.

When they got back to the horses, Mark helped his wife mount Storm as he told her about his plans for the evening.

"...Mark, that's sweet of you, but… I'm getting a little tired. Maybe we could just enjoy a quiet evening at home?"

"Are you sure? It might be awhile before we have an evening without the boys again."

"...Maybe we could just take a ride around the property this evening?"

"If that's what you want."

Once they returned to the ranch, Mark took care of the horses while Cassie headed inside. Just as Mark was making his way back to the house, Micah came out and asked for Mark's help with a break in the corral fence.

What Mark had guessed would take about fifteen minutes ended up taking nearly an hour. After they finished, Micah went to put some of the tools away as Cassie came up to Mark.

"I'm sorry, Micah needed help and I-"

"I know," Cassie interrupted with a mischievous grin. "I asked him to distract you for a while."

"To distract me?"

"I have a surprise for you."

"A supr-"

"Just follow me."

Cassie took Mark's hand and led him to their home. She asked him to close his eyes before leading him through the house and to the dining room.

"Alright, you can open."

Mark opened his eyes to see that the room had been finished and was completely furnished; dinner sitting on the table.

"What… how did you…?"

"I did most of it myself and then enlisted Johnny and Micah's help for a few afternoons earlier this week."

Mark smiled and turned to give his wife a kiss.

"So this is why you didn't want supper at the hotel."

"I thought it would be nice if we could have "a quiet evening at home." ...Unless you're still wanting that ride."

"This sounds much better."

Mark and Cassie enjoyed supper together before Cassie told Mark she had another surprise for him. Hand in hand, husband and wife made their way upstairs. Mark pushed open a door to find that their bedroom had also been completed and furnished. Cassie reached up and gave Mark a kiss on the cheek before whispering, "Your Ma is taking the boys tonight."

"But Matthew…"

"I know, I tried telling her we could take him, but she said one night with a bottle wouldn't hurt anything. I'll go over and feed him right before she puts him down." Cassie gave Mark another kiss before continuing. "Look in the nightstand drawer."

Still holding his wife's hand, Mark crossed the room and opened the drawer to find a new Bible inside. They both sat down on the side of the bed as Mark opened it, finding several pieces of paper inside.

"...I know it's still not the one your Pa gave you, but since you lost that one in the fire…"

"Thank you, Cassie." Mark gave Cassie a kiss on the side of the head.

"...I tried recreating the lists we had… I thought maybe we could go over them tonight and write down anything I missed…?"

"And I thought I was the one who was going to blow you away with romantics today…"

Cassie ran her fingers over Mark's wedding band and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, Mark. You do so much for me all the time… and you always put so much thought into our anniversaries… I wanted to do something special for you this time."

"I love you."

Later that evening, after Cassie had finished feeding Matthew, Mark and Cassie returned to their home. When they walked inside the bedroom, however, Cassie saw a package on the bed.

"Who…"

"Just open it," Mark replied. "You don't think I spent all that time on the chores, do you?"

Cassie smiled and walked to the bed before removing the twine and wrapping paper. She pulled out a beautiful blue dress and gasped as she realized which one it was.

"Mark… how did you… how did you… there's no possible way... I've looked in all of Lou's catalogs! Where on earth did you find it?"

Mark came up behind his wife and put his hands on her shoulders.

"There's this small boutique in Southern California…"

"But you haven't been there since… and there's no way they would still be selling this…?"

"You remember when we went to dinner with my friend?"

Cassie nodded.

"While you were finishing getting ready to go, I went down to the lobby and explained that you had fallen in love with this dress. I gave him the money to buy it for me and asked him to send it back here. ...By the time it finally arrived, you had just finished making yourself a new dress, so I thought it might be special if I could hold on to it for a few years. The way you are with a needle and thread… I figured you could alter it if you needed to."

"But the fire?"

"How do you think I kept you from finding it for five years? I asked Pa to bury it in a trunk."

"It… it's beautiful. ...Thank you, Mark…"

"What is it?"

"...I love the dress just as much as I did when I first saw it… but where am I going to wear a dress like that? It's so… Mark, we didn't have that kind of money back then…"

"Don't worry, you know I don't spend money I don't have. And as to your question of where you're going to wear it; North Fork does have her Christmas parties and balls… and I figure there may be a few engagements Ara and Edwin have planned for us that you may want to dress up for."

"Ara and Edwin?"

Mark wrapped his arms around his wife and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"How would you like to spend Thanksgiving in New Jersey?"

Cassie turned around in Mark's arms and looked up, her eyes sparkling.

"Really?"

"I'm sorry I haven't brought it up before."

"...There was always too much going on before." Cassie draped her arms around Mark's neck and gave him a long kiss. "Thank you."

"I love you, Cass."

"Forever and always…."

**2MC2**

Over the next few weeks, the McCains and Micah spent whatever time they could finishing Mark and Cassie's home. The day it was finally completed, the family celebrated by having dinner at the hotel. Afterward, Cassie and Milly visited with Lou while the men made their way to the marshal's office.

"Well, what brings the three of you in here?" Johnny gestured for the men to find a seat as he stood and started pouring coffee.

"Just thought we'd swing by and say hi while we're in town," Lucas answered. "We had dinner over at the hotel tonight to celebrate getting Mark and Cassie's house done."

"Bet you're sure happy to have that over with," Johnny chuckled. "How long do you figure the barn will take you?"

"Hopefully just a few weeks," Mark replied. "But considering how long the house took…"

"Well that was a little elaborate," Lucas chuckled. "And we've built this barn before. I'm sure it'll be done before the end of this month."

"Johnny, how's Maddy taking to school?" Micah asked.

"Don't remind me…" Johnny shook his head as he handed each of the men a cup of coffee. "The first few days were fine. Then the end of last week… I picked her up and as soon as we got home she had a complete meltdown. She absolutely hates it."

Mark couldn't help but laugh, remembering the years he spent dreading school.

"Just you wait until your own children start school," Johnny warned, pointing a finger at his nephew.

"Oh, I know. Cass and I both hated school, so unless we get really lucky… we have a long road ahead of us."

"Johnny, I was surprised when Lou said you were standing shift tonight," Lucas commented.

"I'm trying to give Curt a few nights a week off, but with Helen having moved, Lou or I have to spend more time at the hotel while the other watches the children... and with the store and everything I have to do around here during the day… I can usually only cover one or two nights a week. ...Which leads me to a question I've been waiting to ask you."

"Waiting?" Lucas asked.

"I know you've been busy with the cattle and the house, so I figured I'd wait until that was all done. I know you've done a lot this year, Luke, and I appreciate it, but… well I was wondering if you might be willing to take one night a week? You'd get paid the same as before and could pick whatever night works best for you."

"I don't know… we took a lot of cattle to market, but we still have a decently sized herd…"

"Pa, I can handle an afternoon and morning without you, especially if you took Wednesday. We usually make that a lighter work day, anyway."

"...I'd have to talk to Milly about it. I'll let you know Sunday."

"Thanks, Lucas. I wouldn't ask, but Curt's already working most of the day shifts with me and I can't give him as much time off as he needs. I don't want him burning out."

"I understand."

"How is Curt working out for you?" Micah inquired.

"He's doing a great job… I've heard nothing but good things from the folks around town. Even Mrs. Johnson almost couldn't find something to complain about."

"Almost?" Mark asked.

"He had to help get Mrs. Abram's cat out of her tree a few times this last week. She came in here complaining that the town pays us to keep the peace, not climb the trees. I think she really just wished the cat would stay stuck up there so he doesn't keep eating her flowers."

"Eating her flowers? What kind of cat-"

"It belongs to Mrs. Abrams… what do you expect?" Johnny chuckled before turning to Lucas. "When's the next council meeting? We haven't had one in quite a spell."

"Truth be told, I haven't really thought about it. I'll talk to John and a few of the other council members and we'll try to arrange one before the end of the month."

The men talked a while longer before they all said goodbye and the McCains and Micah headed home. While Cassie and Milly put the children to bed, Mark, Micah, and Lucas worked on the evening chores before the adults all sat out on the front porch, enjoying the evening. Micah was the first to turn in, soon followed by Mark and Cassie, leaving Lucas and Milly alone on the porch.

"Alright, what is it this time?"

Lucas looked at his wife curiously before responding.

"...What do you mean?"

"Well something has been on your mind ever since you finished talking with Johnny."

Lucas let out a deep sigh as he took Milly's hand.

"Johnny wants me to cover a shift once a week."

"I thought the whole reason Johnny hired another deputy was so you didn't have to help him out anymore?"

"The reason Johnny hired a deputy was because he needed one that could work full time… but even then… at the rate North Fork is growing again… it's a lot on just two people."

"...Lucas…"

Milly took in a deep breath and slowly let it out as she shook her head. Lucas pulled Milly into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

"What is it?"

"I just… I don't like the idea of you wearing a badge. I never have… and I never will. I know… I know in a way that's who you are… so I can't ask you to not, but… just please be careful."

"Milly, it's one night a week, not six. And this is North Fork, not some wild city like Santa Fe. These are our friends and neighbors."

Milly turned and looked up at her husband.

"Do you really want me to go through all the times we had trouble the first time I moved here and you were helping Micah out? Because I can give you plenty of examples of-"

Lucas interrupted his wife with a kiss.

"...I'll be careful, I promise."

There were a few moments of silence before Milly spoke up again.

"...Do you ever worry about Mark and Cassie?"

"What do you mean?"

"...They've both been through so much, so young. The things we've gone through as a family… they're hard enough for someone our age to handle… I don't know how they've dealt with it and kept their marriage so strong."

"They do it the same way we do, by talking to each other about everything and being honest."

"How long did it take before you knew they were the ones for each other?"

"...I knew Mark had taken interest in Cassie… but when he asked for permission to court her, I was completely taken by surprise. After I started paying attention it didn't take me long to pick up on how much they really did like each other. ...That winter you came back, when Mark was attacked by the wolf… it gave Cassie and me plenty of long hours to talk and I realized how much she really had fallen in love with my son. I had watched Mark over the months previous and already knew how head over heels he was for her… but when he woke up and all he could ask about was Cassie… the tone he held, the worry in his eyes… I knew."

"Lucas… if I hadn't ever come back… what would you have done?"

"What do you mean?"

"...Do you think you would have… would have married someone else, or…"

Lucas looked at his wife in confusion.

"Now what kind of question is that? You know I love you; I've always loved you."

"I'm sorry… I guess with everything between Cora and Ben this summer… it just brought back a lot of silly doubts."

Lucas gave his wife a kiss before shaking his head.

"Silly is right. I love you and no one else. You taught me to love… to really love again. Without you I don't know what I would have done. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today."

"... I do want you to know that I understand about Margaret. If you ever do want to go back, I wouldn't be upset; don't let me stand in your way."

"...Thank you, Milly."

"...You're still not ready, are you?"

Lucas shook his head as he tightened his grip around his wife.

"I don't know if I ever will be."

**3MC3**

September turned to October and before the McCains knew it, they were celebrating Daniel's third birthday. The following Wednesday, Lucas was in the barn tending to the morning chores when he heard a wagon pull into the yard and was shocked when he stepped outside to see who it was.

"Speed? Swifty? What in the world are you doing here?"

"Just making a few deliveries," Speed replied as he stepped down from the wagon and shook Lucas's hand. "Didn't Mark tell you?"

"Mark knew you were headed to North Fork?"

"Naw," Swifty began, "We're not stopping in town. Just passing through to deliver Mark's order."

"Mark's order?"

"Seems that son of yours finally got some good sense knocked into him," Speed replied. "We'll have these installed in no time, no time at all!"

"Now hold on, just when-"

Lucas was interrupted as Mark came from his own barn and greeted the two salesmen.

"Mr. Sullivan, Swifty, good to see you again. I honestly forgot about the order but… I thought you weren't coming this way until next month…?"

"We made good time down south," Swifty explained.

"Hold on," Lucas said. "Mark, just what did you order?"

"After the house burned down I wired around for Mr. Sullivan and explained what had happened. He gave me a fair price on a set of lightning rods for the barns and houses."

"Barns and houses?"

"I got some for you and Ma, too. Now you don't have to get them installed, but then you'd just have two expensive pieces of metal rusting away in your barn."

"What do you say, Lucas?" Speed asked.

"...Like he said, they'd just rust in the barn otherwise… I guess go ahead. You need any help?"

"Oh no," Swifty assured. "Me and Pop's done this plenty a times."

"...Do you want to stick around for breakfast after you're done?"

"Lucas, it would be our pleasure," Speed replied.

Without another word the Sullivan men went to work. Lucas pulled Mark aside, watching as Speed and Swifty started working.

"There any reason you didn't want to tell me about this?"

"I didn't pull from the family money, Pa."

"That's not what I'm worried about and your Ma and I can pay for ours. ...It's just not like you to do something like this without letting me in on what's going on."

"Well first off, this is something from Cass and me to you and Ma. About me not telling you, it wasn't something I was trying to hide. I ordered them while Cassie and me were staying in town and were still a little upset at you. Then as things resolved I just kinda forgot about it."

"...The houses I can understand after losing your home… but the barns, too?"

"I don't want to risk losing the livestock or the horses again. ...Especially after what happened to BlueBoy and then losing that other mare."

"Alright…" Lucas nodded in understanding. "You want to get your family and join us for breakfast?"

"I'll let Cass know, but I'm going to skip town today and ride out early, spend the night on the range before it gets too cold. That southwest corner of the property needs a lot of work."

"Alright, just…" Lucas stopped short, reminding himself that Mark wasn't sixteen anymore.

"Thanks, Pa, I'll be careful."

By the time Lucas had let Milly know they had company for breakfast and finished with the barn chores, Speed and Swifty had finished installing the lightning rods. As Lucas walked the men inside, Speed saw Cassie holding Matthew.

"Well, I see congratulations are in order. I'm assuming this one is yours, Mrs. McCain," the man asked Cassie.

"Matthew was born at the beginning of February," she replied with a nod.

"I was sorry to hear about your home; I'm glad no one was injured."

"Speed, Swifty," Lucas began, "Where are you headed next?"

"We'll make our way farther east… it's been quite some time since we've passed through that neck of the territory," Swifty answered. "Though if you ask me, seems like a bit of a waste of time… no one was interested last time we went out there."

"They'll come around my boy," Speed assured his son. "Sooner or later, they always do."

The McCains, Sullivans, and Micah enjoyed a well prepared breakfast together before they Sullivans took their leave. Later that morning, the McCains got ready to head to town. As they were loading up in the buckboard, Lucas turned to Micah and asked one last time if he was sure he didn't want to go with them.

"Thanks, but I think I'll just work with the horses some and then rest a spell. You all have a good time."

"Alright."

Lucas slapped the reins, urging the team forward. After they arrived in town, Lucas ran errands with Cassie and Milly and loaded the buckboard before the family had lunch together at the hotel. Afterward, Cassie was talking to Laura at the desk while Lucas walked his wife, daughter, and eldest grandson to the buckboard.

"Make sure Cassie doesn't try to unload the grain and feed, Mark and I can finish unloading the heavier things tomorrow morning."

"I'll try, but you know Cassie…"

"...With Mark and I both gone tonight, I want you to bolt all the doors."

"Is something the matter?"

"No, I'd just feel better if you did."

"But Micah…"

"...Micah's getting old and could sleep through a cattle stampede in a thunderstorm. Just humor me, please."

"Alright." Milly gave her husband a kiss before he helped her up into the buckboard.

Cassie came out of the hotel and said goodbye to Lucas as he gave her a hand into the rig. He waved as they drove away, then headed to the marshal's office to take over for Johnny.

It was a quiet evening in North Fork as Lucas made his rounds one last time for the night. He returned to the office and started straightening things up when he suddenly heard a voice behind him.

"You really should lock that back door, Luke."

Startled, Lucas turned around and cocked his rifle, but relaxed as he saw who was in the office with him.

"Benton, what in the world are you doing here?"

"I need your help again."

"What kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time?"

Lucas sat down at the desk and gestured for Tom to take a seat across from him.

"You heard of the Doolin-Dalton gang?"

"...I've heard a few stories. I thought they worked farther east… toward Oklahoma and Arkansas?"

"They do, but they're headed this way."

"Trying to expand?"

"No, trying to track down a certain lawman that almost took them down."

"Almost?"

"I went undercover, infiltrated the gang… was almost able to lead them right into a trap. ...Only they pulled out before we could spring the trap."

"So what do you need from me?"

"I need you to kill me."

Lucas stared at the man in confusion.

"Come again?"

"Not really. I need you to get in there, gain their trust, and pretend to kill me. You've got blank bullets for that rifle, don't you?"

"Hold on. I… it's not just me and Mark anymore. I have a wife, a young daughter at home. Even if it was just me and Mark… I owe you my life, Tom, but… isn't there anyone else?"

"I wish there was, Lucas. Especially after seeing your family today, I wish there was. But I can't stick around, waiting for backup. They're going to find me and if we don't act fast… Lucas, please."

Lucas sighed in frustration as he shook his head.

"On the condition that we take this away from North Fork… far, far away."

"That was my plan."

"Where are they now?"

"My guess would be about fifty miles northeast of here."

"Just how do you intend on me getting in there?"

"I figure if you just come across their camp as some saddle tramp, make camp with them, indicate you're avoiding the law… then drop that I'm the one chasing after you. They'll ask you where I was and might ask you to lead them back to me, offering protection. Play up to them, help them track me. I'll ride a ways past Santa Rosa, find a canyon, and then you can "shoot" me over a ledge."

"And just how do you plan on not breaking your neck as you fall? And what if they check the body?"

"You make sure you check the body if they insist."

"What then?"

"They'll want to hit up Santa Rosa next, I'm sure. I'll have the sheriff and townsfolk waiting… as well as hopefully some back up if I can get a wire through in time."

"You and your plans…"

"Got us through the war, didn't they?"

"Do you remember how close we all came to dying when-"

"But we survived."

Lucas again shook his head, unbelieving he was about to go through with this.

"Alright."

"If we're wanting to keep them away from North Fork, we best get a move on tonight."

"Tonight? Tom, I-"

"The longer we wait, the closer they'll get."

"Alright, alright… give me a few hours and I'll meet you back here. I've got to take care of some things first."

Lucas walked over to the boarding house where he was glad to find Curtis still awake. He explained the situation and asked the man to watch the town and explain everything to Johnny the next morning.

"Sorry to drop this on you, but I-"

"Say no more," Curt assured. "I didn't have any plans for tonight, anyway."

Next, Lucas rode back home. He tried going inside, only to be reminded that he had told his wife to bolt the doors. Walking around the house, Lucas made his way to his bedroom window and forced his way inside.

Milly woke and quickly realized a man was beside her. She tried to scream, but his hand covered her mouth.

"Milly, it's me."

Milly relaxed as she recognized her husband's voice and Lucas removed his hand.

"Lucas McCain, what in the world are you doing here?"

"I don't have much time to explain, but I'm going to be gone for a few days, I have to help a friend."

"A friend? What's going on?"

"You remember me telling you about my former captain, Tom Benton?"

"He's the one… oh, no, Lucas, what are the two of you getting into this time?"

"Milly, I don't want you to worry. I just have to help him take care of some things and then I'll be back."

"What things, Lucas?" Milly's voice was firm, demanding answers.

"...He needs me to help him stop the Dalton gang."

"The Dalton… Lucas, no!"

"He's my friend, Milly. They're gunning for him and if they don't find him, I'm sure they'll put a price on his head so high it won't be long before every outlaw this side of the Mississippi is looking for him."

Looking into her husband's eyes, Milly realized Lucas's mind was made up.

"...Do you need help packing anything?"

"I'll take care of it." Lucas gave his wife a kiss before taking a seat on the side of the bed. "There's just one thing I need you to do."

"What?"

"Whatever happens, I don't want you to tell Mark what I'm doing."

"Lucas, not more secrets, please…"

"I can't be worried about the possibility of him trailing after me. If he knows what's going on… I know him too well, he'll want to come and I can't have that distraction. If something were to go wrong… I couldn't risk them using him against me."

"...But what do I tell him?"

"Just tell him I had to go help a friend with a job… I'll be back in a few days."

"...Be careful, Lucas."

"I will be."

**4MC4**

The next morning, Mark rose early and broke camp before getting back to work. There were rocks to clear, fallen trees to move, broken fences to mend, and cattle to shew back towards the herd.

The young rancher worked all morning and well into the afternoon before starting the ride back to the homestead. Passing through a wooded part of their property, Mark stopped as he thought he heard a horse grunting in the distance.

"Pa, is that you?"

Mark was answered by a gunshot and fell to the ground as Duster bucked and galloped away. Fighting every urge he had to yell out, Mark stayed still, hoping whoever had fired at him would think they had succeeded and leave.

Finally allowing himself to sit up, Mark grunted in pain as he repositioned. He looked down at the left side of his abdomen and saw the dark blood stain on his shirt growing. Mark unbuttoned his shirt and took it off before wadding it up and holding it to his side, trying to stop the bleeding. Reaching up to the tree beside him, Mark unsteadily stood and looked around. Duster was nowhere to be seen and Mark knew better than to waste time tracking him down.

As Mark struggled through the woods, he could feel himself becoming weaker; his hands were starting to shake and everything around him was spinning. He sat down against a tree to rest, trying to regain some of his strength.

Knowing he had quite a ways to go and that it would be dark soon, Mark forced himself to get back up and pushed through the pain as he continued to stumble across the land. He tripped over another long and fell to the ground, his head hitting the ground first. The rancher grunted in pain as he tried to force his eyes open; he tried to pull himself up… but staying conscious was getting harder by the second as more blood seeped onto his shirt.

Mark collapsed onto the ground again; only this time, he didn't get up. He stayed down, trying to suppress the nauseous feeling in his stomach.

Even though it was only a few minutes, Mark stayed there for what felt like hours, trying to keep himself awake. Suddenly, hope welled inside Mark as he heard a horse approach him. Mark lifted his head to see a wild horse standing less than five yards away. He pulled himself closer to the animal, praying it wouldn't spook and start attacking him. When he got close enough, Mark slowly pulled himself to his feet and hesitantly approached the horse, holding a hand out.

"Easy… easy, boy…"

The horse backed away as Mark approached him.

"I'm not going to hurt you…"

Back at the homestead, Cassie again walked out onto the porch and worriedly scanned the horizon as the sun sank behind the hills. She finally shook her head and went back inside to get the boys before making her way to Lucas and Milly's.

"Mark still isn't home?" Micah asked as Cassie entered the front room.

Cassie shook her head as she handed Matthew to Milly.

"I'm going to ride out there and-"

"Cassie McCain, you'll do no such thing," Milly firmly replied. "Mark will be home in no time I'm sure, and he doesn't need to go riding after you once he does return."

"He should have been home hours ago! Something's wrong!"

"If he's not home soon, we'll-"

"Mama, look!"

Cassie, Milly, and Micah all turned to see Lydia pointing out the window at a horse and lone rider. Cassie screamed her husband's name as they all watched Mark fall from the horse.

Cassie was the first one to Mark and heard him moan as she turned him over.

"Mark! Mark!"

"Let's get him inside," Milly told her niece.

Cassie, Micah, and Milly worked to carry Mark inside the house. They laid him on the couch, the light from the lanterns and fire revealing the bullet wound. Milly turned to Micah and asked him to ride for Doc, but Cassie stopped him.

"No, we need to take him into town! If the bullet is still in there, Doc might have to do surgery!"

As Cassie stayed with her husband, pleading with him to say something to her, Milly and Micah hitched up the team before they loaded Mark into the buckboard and headed to town.

Curt was walking down the street when he saw the family drive up to the doctor's office. He quickly ran up to the buckboard and helped carry Mark inside. The older Doc Burrage was at the clinic and quickly asked what happened as they brought Mark to the back room.

"He came home from the range, shot," Cassie explained, her voice wavering.

"Curt, run for Andrew, tell him I need his help. Micah, take the women and children to the waiting room, please."

Milly, Cassie, and Micah, along with the children, made their way to the front room and nervously waited. Andrew arrived a few minutes later and ran back to the other room without acknowledging the family. Not long after that, the door opened again as Johnny and Lou entered the office with their children.

"What happened?" Johnny asked.

"Mark…" Cassie began. "Mark spent the night on the range last night. ...He was late coming home this evening and… and when he did… he was shot…"

"Do you know who did it?"

Cassie shook her head without voicing a reply. Lou took a seat beside Milly as Johnny sat down next to Cassie, putting an arm around her shoulders.

The older children quietly sat in the corner of the office, playing together as the family waited and prayed.

An hour passed before Doc Burrage came out.

"Johnny, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Before Johnny could reply, Cassie stood and walked to the doctor.

"What's wrong?"

Doc let out a heavy sight before answering her.

"...Mark has lost a lot of blood. I need to perform a blood transfusion. That's where-"

"I know what it is, I'll do it."

"Cassie, Andrew and I discussed it, and with your fainting spells and the lack of iron in your blood… we're afraid it might do you harm. That's why I wanted to ask Johnny."

Johnny came up behind Cassie and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, he'll be fine."

Johnny went back with the doctor as the rest of the family continued to wait. Johnny came back out twenty minutes later and rejoined the group.

It was nearing midnight when Andrew finally came out.

"We were able to get the bullet out and repair the damage that was done… as much as is medically possible."

"Is he going to be alright?" Cassie's voice pleaded with the doctor to be honest with her.

"...I certainly hope so. We've done what we can, but at this point… he's not exactly stable. We'll stay with him until he is and let you know when that happens. Until then, it's probably best that you all get some rest… it's most likely going to be a long while until he wakes."

Cassie's heart sunk as the doctor spoke. She felt Johnny put a hand on her shoulder and turn her around.

"We'll get you a room ready at the hotel. Why don't you let Lou and me take the boys?"

"No… no thank you… I want the boys with me."

Johnny nodded in understanding and led the way to the hotel.

**5MC5**

Lucas and Tom rode side by side through the New Mexico dessert. The first few hours were rather silent as Lucas thought about the family he had left in North Fork… praying he hadn't just left them for good.

Tom couldn't take it any more and finally broke the silence.

"So I'm assuming of the two women I saw you with yesterday, the older, brunette was your wife?"

Lucas nodded in reply.

"Who was the blonde?"

"That was Mark's wife."

"Mark's married?" Tom couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head. "All I can picture is that little eleven year old trying to remember his poems…"

"Married, and the two boys you saw were his sons. Mark would've been with us, but he decided to spend the night on the range."

"How's ranching treating you?"

"We've had our ups and downs, but we manage."

"So just who did you end up marrying?"

"Milly Scott… we originally met when she moved to North Fork about… well, I'd say about a year after you came through. It's somewhat of a long story, but we eventually got married six years ago this last July. Lydia was born not too long after."

"How did Mark take to having a new Ma?"

"Milly has been like a mother to Mark from the beginning. If it were up to him, we would have gotten married within a few months of her moving to town."

"That's good. He still work the ranch with you?"

"He looked at a few other possibilities, but in the end, that's what he chose to do. And I'm certainly not complaining, especially since they live on the ranch. What about you? Did you ever find anyone?"

"...I've tried. Just not for me. Besides, I travel too much with my job to settle down, have a family."

"How'd you manage to get stuck with this assignment?"

"I had just finished up a different case and was in the right area. Though I really don't mind… after spending two and a half years working undercover at banks, I'm more than ready to see a little action."

"Two and a half years? Just what were you looking for?"

"Counterfeiting is really starting to be a problem… has been since the war, but it's getting worse, especially the farther south you go."

"Where were you working?"

"Roswell, Las Cruces, Artesia… I was also stationed several different places outside of the territory."

"You should have come by the ranch while you were here."

"I thought about it, but I never had time."

"Well after we're all said and done here, you should come back to North Fork and spend a little while with us. I'd like you to meet the rest of my family."

"I'll have to report back to Denver, but I'll be sure to make a social call some time soon." Tom paused for a brief moment before remembering something. "Speaking of Roswell, did you ever find out who sent you all that money?"

Lucas looked at Tom in surprise.

"Just how did you know about that?"

"I was the one who took care of the wire. I always wanted to hear the story behind it… the man said you saved his life?"

"I wish I knew," Lucas replied. "I've spent… I don't know how much time trying to figure out who sent that money and can't come up with an answer. Do you remember what they looked like?"

"I'm afraid I don't remember much about the man… he just seemed… average. Average height, average build. He did have brown hair, I remember that… took his hat off when he came in."

"Do you remember anything about how old he looked?"

"You know me, Luke, I'm a horrible judge of age. He definitely was younger, though. I was surprised he had that much money… didn't seem well to do or anything like that. He…" Tom stopped short, slowly putting the pieces together as he recalled the man carrying a rifle.

"He what?"

"...He seemed pretty adamant about not revealing who he was, though."

"Whoever he was, he couldn't have sent the money at a better time. I don't know what I would have done without it."

"What happened?"

"Less than a year after my wife and I married she got real sick… we had to take her over to the hospital in Vendix and that pretty much wiped out our savings. Everything was fine for a few years, and then she got sick again and needed surgery. I had to take a loan out on the ranch to pay for the expenses and it ended up costing much more than I ever expected. I wasn't sure how… or even if we were going to make it. The hardest part… the hardest part was honestly that I hadn't told my son I was taking out the loan. I didn't think I would have any trouble paying it back… and then I almost had to face telling him that I lost the ranch. Mark and his wife had offered to help with expenses, but I knew they didn't have that kind of money and with them just starting out I knew I couldn't take that from them, especially if we were going to have to start over again."

"...Like you said, it's a good thing that whoever our mystery man is sent you the money when he did."

"I just wish I could somehow find him one day and thank him. ...Tom, didn't you have to withdraw from the man's account?"

"No, he paid it all in cash… and before you ask, I hadn't seen him around Roswell before that and never saw him again after that day. ...Some things, I suppose, are just meant to remain unknown."

The men continued riding until sunset before finally making camp and settling in for the night. The former captain and lieutenant spent part of the evening reminiscing about their time in the war, Benton being the first to bring up Tom Birch.

"...It's a shame he went down the road he did; Tom was a good soldier, a good man."

"You really do need to come for a visit," Lucas chuckled. "I'll agree that Tom went down a dark path, but he eventually did get himself turned around. He came to work for me for a few years then settled down and got married; has a spread of his own not too far from North Fork."

"Tom… settled down? Got married?"

"Took me by surprise, too. He finally got his head screwed on straight again and Marissa is doing a fine job of sanding down his rough edges."

"You keep up with any of the others?"

"A few… lost track of most of them while I was travelling around, though. You?"

"No, besides you I haven't really been able to."

"If showing up once every fifteen years is what you call keeping up…" Lucas teased.

"When was the last time you wrote?"

"Well I would if you ever stuck around one place long enough to get a letter delivered to you," he laughed. "I gave up after about the fifth letter came back."

"I'll try to do better," Tom chuckled.

"Just as long as you're not in trouble with a gang every time you come around."

"Now that one, you'll have to take up with my superiors."

**6MC6**

Mark could hear muffled voices in the distance and tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids were heavy, almost as if they were sewn shut. He struggled to understand what was being said, coming in and out of consciousness for several minutes. Finally, Mark managed to hold his eyes half open and could make out his wife and sons across the room.

"...Mama, why?"

"Your Pa… Daniel, he just can't hear you. Even if we tried waking him up, it wouldn't do anything. He's real hurt."

"Papa… why he hurt?"

"I wish I knew…"

Mark mustered what strength he could and tried calling to his wife, but nothing came out at first. Finally, his voice could be heard in a weak whisper.

"...Cass?"

Cassie looked up and saw Mark awake, a concerned smile making its way onto her face. Cassie called for the doctor as she walked to her husband's side, repositioning Matthew to one arm and taking his hand.

"Oh, Mark… thank God you're awake…"

Daniel excitedly called for Mark as he ran up to the side of the bed.

"How… how long…" Mark's voice trailed off as his mind became more muddled.

"You made it back home Thursday night; it's Saturday morning."

A knock briefly sounded at the door before Andrew walked into the room, relieved to see Mark awake. He made his way to Mark's bed, standing on the opposite side as Cassie.

"Mark, how do you feel?"

"My side… hurts…"

"I'm afraid that will be the case for quite a while. There was a decent bit of damage done and then I had to go in there and irritate the wound to get the bullet out and stitch things up."

"The bullet? What…" Mark stopped as things started coming back to him. "The bullet…"

"What I'm mostly concerned about is the amount of blood you lost. Do you feel dizzy at all?"

"...I feel lightheaded, but not... not exactly dizzy."

"What about a headache? Nausea?"

"...I have a small headache… I don't feel nauseous, though."

"Good. I'm going to let the rest of your family know that you finally decided to wake up and then I'll ask Lou to get you some broth."

"...Thanks, Andrew."

As the door shut behind the doctor, Cassie looked back to her husband.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"I… I was headed back home…"

"Papa, me sit wi' you?"

"Daniel, don't interrupt," Cassie warned.

Mark reached down and took his son's hand as he went on.

"I heard a horse and then… then I heard the shot as it hit me… Duster bucked me off and… I just stayed still… I thought if they thought I was dead, whoever it was would just leave. ...The rest of it's all blurry… except there was this horse…"

"I saw that you weren't riding Duster, but I didn't really pay any attention to it. Micah said he was still there when he went to check on the ranch yesterday. He cleaned him up and found out he had a strained tendon before putting him up in the barn."

"Papa, me sit wi' you?"

Mark nodded, but Cassie protested.

"I really don't think that's a good idea…"

"It'll be fine," Mark assured. "Just come on up on the other side, Daniel, and be gentle."

Daniel ran to the other side of the bed and struggled to pull himself up. Cassie came around and helped him; Daniel soon snuggling close to his Pa.

"Mark, do you have any idea who did it?"

"No, I…" Mark suddenly stopped, letting out a sigh of frustration. "The telegram… I forgot about the telegram, I should have been paying more attention."

"That was months ago…"

"It might not be connected, but it very well could be."

"...Uncle Johnny took some men up to the ranch yesterday, all they found was Duster wandering the range."

"Will you thank him for me when you see him next?"

Cassie nodded with a smile and sat down beside Mark, allowing him to reach out and caress the top of Matthew's head.

It was only a few minutes later when Milly and Lydia entered the room. Mark answered their questions the best he could, trying to assure his Ma and wife that he would be alright.

After Mark had eaten something, Andrew asked that everyone leave so that Mark could rest for a while. After his family said goodbye and left the room, Mark turned to Andrew.

"...How bad was it and how bad is it?"

"...To be honest with you, I wasn't sure which way things were going to go until yesterday afternoon. You lost a lot of blood."

"And now?"

"You'll be sore for quite a while as things heal up, but I expect that you will make a full recovery. As long as things continue to improve and you're keeping food down, I'll probably send you home tomorrow afternoon. Just no riding for about two weeks."

"How has Cassie been?"

"...Surprisingly strong. She's been worried, but… she has also kept her chin up for the boys."

"Well thanks for saving my life."

"Glad you're alright."

The following afternoon, though Mark was still in quite a bit of pain, Andrew felt comfortable with sending Mark home. After everyone else got out of church, the McCains and Micah headed back to the ranch.

Milly took Matthew and Daniel while Cassie helped Mark get settled at home. Since their own bedroom was upstairs, Cassie fixed up the guest bedroom on the first floor so Mark wouldn't have to constantly be going up and down the stairs.

Mark slept most of the afternoon, waking when he heard his wife return home with their boys.

"But I wan' Papa," Daniel pleaded with his mother.

"Your Pa is sleeping, you can see him when he's awake."

Mark hollered to Cassie, telling her that he was awake and asking to see the boys. Daniel came running into the room, and with Cassie's assistance, crawled up into the bed and gave Mark a hug.

"Papa, you read me?"

"When it's time for you to go to bed, I'll read you a story. Did you have fun with Grandma and…" Mark quieted and looked up at his wife in confusion. "Cassie, where's Pa been?"

"Your Ma said he had to go out of town for a few days, to help a friend."

"Who?"

"She didn't say."

"When did he leave?"

"Wednesday night, I think."

"But why… are you sure that's all she said?"

Cassie nodded and could see that her husband was concerned.

"Why, what's the matter?"

"...It's just not like Pa to leave out of the blue like that. If… if whoever shot me is looking for Pa…"

"If they were looking for your Pa, why would they shoot you and then just leave? That doesn't make sense."

"...I guess you're right." Mark turned to his son and tickled him, causing Daniel to laugh. "Now, why don't you tell me about all the fun you had with Grandma and Papa Micah today?"

**7MC7**

It took Lucas and Tom just over two days to ride to Santa Rosa. It took some convincing, but the town sheriff finally agreed to helping the two men with their plan to take in the Doolin-Dalton gang.

The morning after they had arrived in Santa Rosa, Tom and Lucas headed out again to look for the gang. This became much more difficult than either man had anticipated, making them wonder if somehow the gang knew they were coming and decided to hide their trail.

It was finally on the fifth day after leaving Santa Rosa that the men finally caught sight of the gang in the hills just south of the town.

"Well Lucas, good luck to you."

"You too…" Lucas hesitated before going on. "Tom, if… if anything happens…"

"Don't go there, Lucas."

"I have a family, I have to."

Tom sighed and nodded in understanding, waiting for Lucas to go on.

"...Just tell them I'm sorry. And tell my son… tell him that I'm proud of him."

"I will."

The men parted ways, and while he took his time, Lucas began making his way up the hill towards the outlaws' camp. He waited until well past dark to approach them, but didn't even make it into camp before he heard a gun being cocked behind him.

"Alright, that's far enough, hands where I can see 'em."

Lucas complied and raised his hands.

"Look mister, I don't want any trouble… just looking for someone to share camp with and some directions."

"Get on down from that horse."

Lucas dismounted as two men came out of the shadows. One continued to hold a gun on Lucas while the other searched Lucas for any weapons.

"What kind of man doesn't bring any sort of protection out here?"

"My rifle, it's in the scabbard."

"That's all?" The man laughed. "You sure are lucky you didn't run into any real trouble… until now."

"Like I said, all I was looking for was to share a fire and get some directions. I don't want to cause any trouble."

"We'll see about that."

The man that had been doing the talking took Lucas's arm and led him into the camp.

"Hey Doolin, Dalton, we got some company."

Several men approached Lucas, looking him over.

"Well, what do we got here," a man chuckled as he came up to Lucas, stopping only a few inches from him. "You certainly look like you've come a long way."

"Like I told your friend here, I don't want any trouble. I just came looking for a fire and some directions, but I'd be happy to just take my leave."

"Ya hear that boys? He'd be happy to take his leave." The man turned back to Lucas. "This ain't no good part of the country to be gettin' lost… just why are you wandering around out here?"

"I ran into some trouble."

"Trouble now, is it? What kind of trouble?"

"Doesn't matter. Look, if you give me my horse back, I'll just be on my way."

"You in some sort of trouble with the law?"

"...Maybe, maybe not."

"Look, you can relax, we're all friends here. Roy, put the gun away." The man put a hand on Lucas's shoulder and walked him closer to the fire. "We's all in a little bit of trouble with the law, can't be avoided. What just happened to get you lost up here?"

"...There was a money transfer coming through a town not far from here, up in Santa Rosa. I thought… I might borrow a little cash."

"You tried robbing a coach by yourself?" The man laughed and shook his head. "You got a lot to learn, my friend."

"I would've gotten it, 'cept it was a decoy. Come to find out, the real one's coming next week. Then some two bit lawman shows up out of nowhere and starts chasing me… lucky for me, he wasn't too good with a six gun. Though I couldn't believe just how fast he could run… as round as he is."

"Round? …Was this the town sheriff?"

"Naw, the sheriff is a sleepy old creature who only wakes from his nap a few times a day. I doubt he even realized that I was in town. This one… this one was some sort of special lawman. He caught up to me, but I gave him the slip the night before last."

"This… lawman… describe him to me."

"I don't know… like I said, a bit round… bit stocky. Six-one… six-two, maybe. ...And a big fat nose right in the middle."

"Where were you camped?"

"I don't know, ten, twenty miles from here. What's it to you?"

"Well we got ourselves a little score to settle with a lawman fitting that description. ...How would you like to make yourself some cash?"

"Like I said, I don't want any trouble."

"This'll be worth it. After all, don't you want back at the man who put a stop to your plan? Maybe then we can even head back up to Santa Rosa… wait for the real money transfer."

"Like I'd want to split all that with you!"

"There's ten of us, and one of you. Just how well do you think it's gonna go if you try getting to that shipment without us?"

"...Guess as they say… there is safety in numbers…"

"Good, good. Now, about this lawman…"

"What about the transfer?"

"We'll get to that, but if this lawman is chasing after you, we won't get too far. You think you might be able to lead us back to him?"

"...I can try tracking my way back, but like I said, I came up here looking for directions."

"Between us looking for him, and him looking for you, I'm sure we'll find him in no time, Mr…?"

"...Vale… George Vale. ...So just who are you?"

"Us?"

The men laughed as a few shook their heads.

"Well, that over there is Will, George, and Charley, then sittin' closest to the fire is Jack and Oliver. Dan and Richard are asleep over there, and the two that snuck up on you are Roy and Red Buck."

"And you?"

"Bill Doolin, at your service."

**8MC8**

Almost a week had passed since Mark had returned home from Doc's. He and Micah were working on the barn chores one evening, and the former marshal could tell something was bothering Mark.

"What's on your mind?"

Mark finished tending to the horse that had found him in the woods and closed the stall gate before replying.

"...Just thinking about Pa. Do you know who he went to help?"

"Your Ma just said a friend of his needed help with a job or something. Why?"

"...I'm just getting worried. It's been over a week since he left and… no word."

"How much trouble could he get into? He's just helping a friend."

"Well you're a friend too and the two of you have gotten into plenty of..."

"What is it?"

"...A friend… Pa wouldn't… he wouldn't be that vague unless…"

Mark drove the pitchfork into the hay and walked out of the barn, headed straight for his parents' home. He entered the front room to find Milly and Cassie talking.

"Ma, just what did Pa tell you when he told you he was leaving?"

"...He said to tell you that he was helping a friend."

"I didn't ask what he told you to tell me," Mark pressed, looking into his mother's eyes. "You know something, don't you? Where's Pa? Who is he helping?"

"Mark, I… I can't tell you."

Mark turned around and looked at his wife.

"Cassie, if you know where my Pa is…"

"Mark, if I did, I would have told you when you asked me the other night."

Mark turned back around and put his hands on Milly's shoulders.

"Ma, Pa's in trouble, isn't he?"

"Not… not necessarily…"

"Then tell me where he is."

"I… your father…"

"Tell me!"

"Mark!" Cassie stood and walked to her husband's side. "I'm as worried as you are, but don't get mad at Aunt Milly! If you had gone somewhere and told me to not say anything-"

"I wouldn't!"

"You've done it before! Remember when your Pa and Aunt Milly were missing?"

"That's different!"

"Trust your Pa!"

"I do! But the only reason he would insist on me not knowing was if he's gotten himself into serious trouble!"

Mark left the house and headed back to the barn, Milly and Cassie following close behind.

"Micah, do you know where my Pa is?!"

"I already told you-"

"I want the truth!"

"He's telling the truth, Mark," Milly firmly replied.

Mark looked at his Ma, wanting to ask her again; but as he looked into her eyes, he knew she was going to do as Lucas had asked. Mark turned and headed for Duster's stall.

"What are you doing?" Cassie's voice pleaded with her husband to stop acting on what she knew he was thinking.

"I'm going to go find Pa."

"Doc said no riding for two weeks!"

"I'll be fine."

"Mark-" Milly began.

"Ma, ...I understand that you don't want to tell me. But Pa shouldn't have asked you to keep it from me in the first place. Something doesn't feel right and he's been gone longer than "a few days." The more information I have, the sooner I can find him."

Milly just stood there, torn between her husband and son.

"Alright then."

Mark gave his Ma a kiss on the cheek and then kissed Cassie goodbye before leading Duster out of the barn.

"Keep the rifles close."

The young rancher mounted up and headed towards town without looking back.

Once he arrived in North Fork, Mark headed straight for the marshal's office.

"Mark, good to see you," Curt greeted.

"Curt, Wednesday night, my Pa left town. Do you have any idea where he was going?"

"Sure, he asked me to take the shift for him. Said he had to help an old friend out with some outlaws near Santa Rosa."

"Did he say who he was helping?"

"Tom… something. Started with a "b"… wasn't Tom Birch…"

"B… Benton? Was it Tom Benton?"

"Yeah, that was him. Why?"

"Nevermind. Thanks, Curt."

Mark ran back out of the office and down to the general store, only to find it closed. He quickly made his way to the hotel to find Lou. After not finding her in the lobby or restaurant, Mark tore into her office.

"Mark, what in land sakes is the matter?"

"I need to get into the store for a few canned goods."

"Canned goods?"

"I'm going after Pa, I think he's in trouble."

"In trouble?" Johnny walked into the office behind Mark. "What makes you think he's in trouble?"

"I don't have time to explain; I wasn't thinking when I left the ranch. Please, Aunt Lou…"

"Alright."

Lou and Johnny walked Mark over to the store, still trying to get him to explain as he packed a few provisions."

"...Pa's keeping secrets and went out to help Tom Benton with outlaws," he finally explained.

"That doesn't mean he's in trouble," Johnny tried to reason. "Look, if your Pa really was in trouble-"

"Pa doesn't keep secrets from me unless something is really wrong. I think this spring proved that. I'm going after him and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

"Mark-"

"I'll see you both later."

Ignoring Lou and Johnny's calls, Mark ran back to Duster and mounted his horse. He kicked Duster into a full gallop as he headed out of town. It wasn't out of urgency… Mark knew he would have to resort to a steady trot sooner or later so Duster didn't burn out. But he was angry. Angry at his Pa for keeping secrets again, angry that Lucas had asked Milly not to say anything, angry that no one else seemed concerned.

After a few miles, Mark finally let Duster slow down, allowing himself to take a step back and breathe. But as he did, more questions, doubts, and worries entered his train of thought. Just what had Benton dragged his father into? Was he safe? Why did his Pa agree? This wasn't part of his job…

And yet Mark knew that part of Lucas's job or not, his Pa would always help anyone who asked. He just prayed that his Pa's choice to help wouldn't prove fatal.

**9MC9**

Lucas spent two days with the outlaws, helping them trail Benton. He tried to play his part, praying he wouldn't blow his cover, but he could tell some members of the gang didn't like having him around. To make matters worse, Lucas lost Benton's trail more than once. It was quickly realized that Lucas was the best tracker in the group, and the more time that passed without them finding Tom, the more nervous some of the men got.

It was nearing mid afternoon when the men saw a lone rider in the distance. Doolin and Dalton started ordering the men around to take different positions, not wanting the lawman to escape them again.

"Doolin, I want to make the shot," Lucas declared. "I want to be the one to make him pay."

"Suit yourself. How close you reckon you gotta get?"

"I want this to hurt, I'm getting up close."

Dalton reached out and pulled Lucas back.

"Now hold on, you can't go in there half cocked. Just what do you plan on doing if he gets the better of ya?"

"Isn't that why you have your boys surrounding him? He gets the drop on me, you can have at him. But not until I've got my chance. I-" Lucas stopped short as he saw another man riding up to Benton. His heart dropped as he realized who it was.

"I'm going with you," Dalton insisted. "You can't take the two of 'em alone."

"I can and I will! I'm the one who led you to him!"

"I'm not going to-"

"Take it easy, Will," Doolin interrupted. "He wants to get himself shot up, he can, more money for us. We'll be able to get a clear shot at them if Vale doesn't."

"Whatever you say."

As the rest of the outlaws took their positions, Lucas crept closer to the two men. They had both dismounted and were arguing; Lucas only picking up on bits of pieces of what was being said. He prayed Benton was coming up with a way to get his son out of this.

Not able to wait any longer, Lucas suddenly ran into the open, charging Benton. When Tom saw Lucas coming, he shoved Mark to the ground and feigned going for his gun before Lucas fired. Tom stumbled backwards and fell over the edge of the canyon wall.

Lucas looked over and could see Dalton going for his gun as Mark started getting up; the outlaws' intentions obvious. Without any other choice, Lucas turned to Mark and fired what he thought was another blank, worry consuming him as Mark screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Looking up at Dalton, Lucas realized the outlaw had yet to fire and looked back at his son in confusion when he saw blood seeping from Mark's side.

Doolin was the first to reach the two men and could see the confusion on the man's face.

"What's the matter?"

Lucas's tried coming up with an answer, remembering that he had a part to play… especially if he wanted to get his son out of there alive.

"I… I missed…"

"Happens to the best of us."

"...At that range, though..."

Doolin bent down and felt for a pulse.

"Just as well, he might prove useful."

"Useful?!" Dalton came up to Doolin, gesturing broadly as he continued to yell. "We don't know who he is! For all we know, he's some lawman!"

"Exactly. So when we go into Santa Rosa, we just might have an ace up our sleeve, use him as a hostage."

Lucas's heart started pounding faster, knowing what these men did to lawmen when they were through with them.

Doolin walked to the edge of the canyon wall and smiled as he saw the prone body lying on the canyon floor. He started walking back to his horse as he gave orders.

"Vale, throw him over a saddle and make sure he gets tied up when we get back to camp."

"He's bleeding," Lucas replied, still trying to assess whether his son was conscious or not. "Someone's going to have to hold him in the saddle and apply pressure to the wound if you don't want him to bleed out and die on you."

"Roy, get Vale's horse over here and help him get the man situated!"

Once Roy brought Razor over, Lucas pulled a spare shirt out of the saddle bag and mounted up. Trying not to show the turmoil he felt, Lucas inwardly cringed as Roy pulled his son up and pushed him into the saddle, causing Mark to groan and grunt in pain.

Dalton gave orders for the men to ride towards Santa Rosa, declaring that he wanted to cover as much ground as possible. Less than an hour into the ride, Lucas felt Mark's whole body go limp. He could still feel his son breathing, but was worried about how labored it seemed.

When the gang finally stopped for the night, Dan and Charley roughly pulled Mark down from the saddle and under Dalton's orders, securely tied him to a tree. Lucas couldn't help but eye Mark as he unsaddled Razor, trying to come up with a way to get his son out of there.

"Hey, Vale!"

Lucas turned as Doolin came up to him.

"We'll be back to the hills right outside Santa Rosa by tomorrow night at the latest. You finally going to tell us what night that stage is coming in?"

"What insurance do I have that you're not going to just shoot me once I tell you?"

"You don't," the man bluntly replied. "But we're all in the same boat. All brothers, runnin' from the law. You don't cross me, I don't cross you."

"...Tomorrow. I'll tell you tomorrow."

"Suit yourself."

Lucas got hardly any sleep that night. He kept hearing his son's scream over and over again in his head. A blank bullet at close range might hurt some… but it shouldn't have caused that much pain and it shouldn't have drawn blood. Why was Mark even there? How had Mark found him? And then Tom… what if Tom hadn't survived the fall? How was he supposed to explain himself then?

"I should've never agreed to this…"

**10MC10**

The following morning, Lucas was pouring himself a cup of coffee as her heard Doolin start hollering from across the camp.

"Well, looky who decided to wake up!"

Lucas turned towards Mark, his eyes pleading with his son to not say anything to him. The look Mark gave in reply told Lucas that he didn't intend on speaking to him ever again.

"So, just who do we have with us?"

When Mark didn't reply, Doolin slapped Mark across the face.

"Answer me!"

Mark still didn't respond, infuriating Doolin even more. Dalton went over and joined Doolin in interrogating Mark. Lucas turned away, unable to watch as they beat his son.

When they finally gave up and started walking away, Mark started making threats and calling the men cowards. Dalton went back and slapped Mark again before yelling at one of the men to put a gag on him.

The men broke camp shortly after, Mark being thrown over Duster and tied down to the saddle. Lucas kept his distance from his son as they rode, afraid he would break if he continued to hear his son's moans.

When the outlaws made camp outside of Santa Rosa that evening, Lucas finally told Doolin that the stage was due the following morning at nine o'clock. Doolin set to making plans with the men, Lucas only half listening.

As he got his bedroll out later that night, Lucas dared to briefly steal a glance at his son. Mark's eyes held hurt, but more than that, they held a bitter anger Lucas knew would take some time to resolve. He wanted to explain everything to his son… but he couldn't risk getting caught.

Lucas tried to go to sleep, but could feel his son glaring at him. How could he fall asleep when his son sat ten yards away from him, bound and gagged?

After hours of tossing and turning, Lucas's turn to stand watch finally came. Once he was sure the other men were asleep, the rancher quietly approached his son. Mark started angrily mumbling through the gag, forcing Lucas to put a hand over his son's mouth to muffle the noise his son was making.

"Mark, be quiet," Lucas ordered in a whisper. He looked around, worried that one of the other men might have woken. He reached inside his son's back pocket and pulled out Mark's pocket knife before putting it in his own pocket and starting to loosen his son's restraints. "I can't explain right now. Just get out of here and forget what you saw."

As soon as the ropes were loose enough, Mark stood and lunged for his father's rifle. Lucas sighed in frustration and grabbed the rifle, trying to pry it out of his son's hands. They struggled back and forth over it, both men hesitating to hit the other. Too late, Lucas saw someone come up behind his son and hit him across the head with a pistol, knocking Mark unconscious.

"What did you do that for?" Lucas asked.

"You certainly weren't getting anywhere with him. How'd he get the better of you?"

"I don't know, must've worked the ropes loose."

"I'll see to it that it doesn't happen again."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, why carry around all that extra weight? No one's really going to miss him; we don't even know if having him would be of any help when we hit up Santa Rosa."

Doolin came up behind the men, shaking his head.

"Oliver, are you making plans without me again?"

"The man ain't worth the trouble."

"I say he is and we ain't letting him go."

"What are you really planning to gain from him, Doolin? We don't have any idea who he is, and if the people in Santa Rosa don't either, which is highly likely, they won't just hand the shipment over to you."

"That's why I changed my mind."

"What's your plan now?"

"We keep him tied up out here… just in case something happens to go wrong. In the event that we do get caught, then we start negotiating."

"Like Oliver said," Lucas began, "If the people in Santa Rosa-"

"He has something to do with the law, or he wouldn't have been out there, arguing with Benton. I don't care to hear any more talk back from either one of you. You can go along with my plan, or you can ride out."

Lucas and Oliver stood there without saying anything.

"Oliver, tie him down to a saddle."

"But Vale was the one-"

"Just do what I tell ya. Vale, we need to talk."

Lucas followed Doolin a short distance from camp.

"I want you to ride on ahead to Santa Rosa and scout things out, get one last good look at the town."

"Whatever you say."

"And Vale, just so we're clear, I have no problem taking your share of the money should you try anything."

"What would I try?"

"I don't know… hitting the stage by yourself? The men don't seem to trust you. Lucky for you, I do. Just make sure it stays that way."

"Of course."

Lucas mounted up and headed to Santa Rosa, dreading the idea of leaving his son with those criminals.

After making his way to town, Lucas headed for the sheriff's office where he was relieved to find Tom.

"Lucas, good to see you."

"Tom, we have a problem. That man you were arguing with before I shot you-"

"Is your son, I know. I heard another shot, is he alright?"

"He's alive. Their plan is to keep him up in the hills and use him as a bargaining chip in case anything goes wrong. Whatever happens, if it comes down between the money and my son…"

"I'll see to it that Mark's alright."

Lucas, Tom, the sheriff of Santa Rosa, and the others present spent about an hour discussing their plan before Lucas said goodbye to Tom and left.

Day was breaking as Lucas returned to camp and he quickly realized his son was nowhere in sight.

"Doolin, where's the man?"

"I had Charley and Jack tie him up out of the way and teach him a thing or two about tryin' to escape."

Lucas's mind started racing.

"We need him in good condition!"

"We need him alive, that's all. You worry too much."

"I'm just using my head. The law isn't going to be too happy if he's all beat up."

"They ain't gonna be happy with us no matter what we do. Now, what'd you find out in town?"

"Like I said before, small town, shouldn't be too hard to handle. All they got is that old sheriff, and he won't be any trouble. The streets were quiet when I rode in, nothing looked out of the ordinary."

"Good, good."

Lucas continued to look around for his son.

"Just curious, where did you put him?"

"Old indian cave up that way," Doolin replied, gesturing.

"Aren't you worried about him getting free?"

"Don't worry; after the number Charley and Jack did on him, he won't be waking for a long time."

The men waited a few more hours before heading to town. Although Lucas knew what Doolin had said, he was still worried about Mark somehow getting mixed up in the inevitable gunfight.

Lucas stayed close to Doolin, watching as the outlaws took their positions, smiling to himself as he saw them getting knocked out or pulled inside buildings one at a time.

Within minutes, it was only down to a few outlaws, Doolin and Dalton oblivious to what was taking place. When the stage coach finally turned the corner, Doolin got ready to give the signal, but froze as he heard Lucas cock his rifle behind him.

"Hands where I can see them."

Doolin slowly started to comply before suddenly dropping to the ground.

"It's a trap!"

Gunfire ensued as outlaws and lawmen alike came from their hiding places. Lucas struggled with Doolin, trying to keep him down and away from his gun. Finally, Lucas punched the man hard enough to faze him. The rancher pulled Doolin's six gun out of the holster and threw it away.

"I should've known you were nothing but a dirty yella belly!"

"This one's for my son."

Rage glowing in Lucas's eyes, he punched Doolin one last time, knocking him out cold.

The gunfire in the street had subsided and Lucas looked up to see the outlaws being taken into custody. There were several injured, but only one fatality.

Lucas called for Tom to help him drag Doolin over to the jail before jumping on Razor and racing back to camp.

Once he arrived, Lucas saw where there had been a struggle, and then where someone had been dragged. He followed it as far as he could until losing the trail in the rocks.

"Mark!" Lucas desperately yelled. "MARK!"

Lucas looked high and low before finally coming across the cave. He entered, only to see the pieces of rope that had previously bound his son.

Running everywhere he went, Lucas desperately looked for his son, calling Mark's name over and over again. Finally hearing a noise behind him, Lucas turned around.

"Mar… oh, Tom…"

"Can't find him?"

"He worked himself loose, but I haven't found a trace of him."

"Would he have gone back to camp for his horse?"

Lucas nodded, frustrated that he hadn't thought of it himself. The two men hurried back to camp where Lucas confirmed that Duster was missing.

"He probably rode to town," Tom assured, seeing the worried tension in Lucas's face.

Lucas and Tom returned to Santa Rosa and looked for Mark, only to find out that no one had seen the young rancher. They searched until dark, Tom finally convincing Lucas to go back to the sheriff's office.

"Tom, you should've seen him… he's in no condition to be out there…"

"I'm sure he's fine, Lucas. He worked himself free, got back to his horse, no sign of blood… he probably just started back home."

"But why wouldn't he come…" Lucas stopped, realizing why his son wouldn't come looking for him, first. "Tom, I have to get home."

"Well you're not getting anywhere tonight, and I do need a report from you."

"A report?!"

"A statement, at least."

"I infiltrated a gang, apprehended Doolin, and turned him over to you. End of story."

"Nice try."

**11MC11**

"Mark!" Cassie ran from Lucas and Milly's porch, into her husband's arms. But when she looked up at him, Cassie immediately knew that something was wrong, besides the vibrant bruises that lined his face. "What happened? Are you alright? Where's your Pa?"

"I don't know."

"...You couldn't find him?"

"Oh I found him alright!"

"...Mark?" Milly called, coming from her home.

"I don't know where Pa is, and frankly, I don't care!"

"Mark!" Cassie exclaimed. "How could you say such a thing?!"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Mark grabbed Duster's reins and stormed to the barn.

Cassie and Milly sat there, looking blankly at each other.

"...Aunt Milly, would you mind…"

"I'll watch the children, you go to Mark."

Cassie hesitantly made her way to the barn. She quietly stepped inside, worry etched on her face.

"Mark…?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!"

"I know," Cassie quietly answered, remembering the last time she had pressed her husband for answers. "...Please, Mark, let me take care of those bruises."

"They'll be fine."

"Mark…"

"I said they'll be fine!"

Cassie took a step back. She had never seen her husband this angry, and it scared her.

"...Mark, is there anything I can-"

"If the children are at Ma and Pa's, get them over to our house and start packing!"

"Packing?"

"We're leaving for New Jersey first thing tomorrow morning."

"But Mark-"

"We're not arguing about this!"

Cassie silently nodded and left the barn, slowly making her way back to Lucas and Milly's.

As Cassie let the door close behind her, Milly could see the hurt and confusion on her niece's face.

"Cassie?"

"He… he just yelled at me…"

"Did he say what was the matter?"

"No, he…" Cassie slowly looked up at Milly. "He just told me to pack for New Jersey…"

"But I thought you weren't leaving until next week?"

"We aren't… or at least, we weren't…" Cassie shook her head in confusion. "...I better get started…"

Cassie started walking to the room where the children were napping, but Milly put a hand on her shoulder.

"I can watch the boys, you go ahead."

"No… Mark was very clear… he wanted the boys home."

"But why?"

"I don't know…"

Milly watched the helpless expression on Cassie's face grow as she got the boys and headed home. The minutes crawled by as Milly debated what to do before finally walking out to her son's barn.

"Mark?"

Milly watched as Mark slammed the stall gate shut and turned around; a look on his face she had never seen.

Mark's voice was quiet, yet firm as he asked, "Did you know?"

Milly stood there silently, trying to understand what had happened.

"Did you know?!" Mark repeated himself, yelling.

"...Yes, I knew."

Without saying anything else, Mark walked past Milly and out of the barn.

"Mark!"

Milly followed after him, repeatedly calling his name until her son walked into his house, slamming the door shut behind him.

Micah returned from town shortly after and Milly explained what had happened.

"Do you want me to try to talk to him?"

"...You can try, but I don't know if it will do any good."

Micah patted Milly's hand and headed to Mark and Cassie's. He knocked on the door repeatedly until Mark finally answered.

"What- oh, Micah, it's you."

"Mark, what in the world is going on?"

"You'll have to take that one up with my father."

Mark slammed the door shut and Micah knocked again, only this time, he received no answer. Micah walked back over to the other house and told Milly what had occurred.

The only people to get sleep that night were the children, but even they could sense that something was terribly wrong and woke several times throughout the night.

The following morning, Milly, Lydia, and Micah stood on the elder McCain's front porch and watched as Mark loaded his family up in the buckboard.

A small amount of hope welled inside Milly as Mark approached them.

"You wanted Lydia to be able to say goodbye?"

Milly nodded and nudged her daughter forward. Lydia ran to her brother and Mark picked her up before carrying her over to the buckboard.

"Mark, why are you leaving?"

"...Ask Pa when he gets home."

Mark set Lydia up on the seat and watched as she said goodbye to Cassie and her nephews. It suddenly hit Mark that he wasn't just leaving his parents and Micah, but that he was leaving his little sister behind, too.

When Lydia had finished saying goodbye, she reached out and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck as he lifted her from the seat.

"Mark, when you coming back?"

"...I don't know yet."

"You come home for Christmas?"

"...Lydia, I just don't know." Mark walked a few feet from the buckboard and gave his sister a hug before setting her down. He knelt down and gently put a hand to her cheek, running his thumb across it. "If… if anything ever happens that makes you scared… if…" Mark choked on his words, unbelieving that he was having to hold this conversation with his four-year-old sister. "If anyone… ever hurts you, you go straight to Papa Micah or Uncle Johnny. You understand?"

Lydia slowly nodded before again throwing her arms around her brother's neck.

"I love you," he whispered.

Mark held her for a few more moments before finally letting go and pushing Lydia back towards Milly. He then stood and turned towards Micah.

"Take care of them."

Micah stepped off the porch, towards the man he considered his grandson.

"Let me drive you to the station, Mark."

"We both know all you're going to do is try to talk about it. You can talk about it all you want when Pa gets home. Uncle Johnny will bring the rig back."

"Can't you at least tell us what happened?"

Mark clenched his jaw as he tried to push the memories away.

"...Thanks for everything."

Milly, Lydia, and Micah helplessly watched as Mark walked back to the buckboard and climbed up to the seat. He slapped the reins, calling to the horses to get a move on.

Tears burned in Milly's eyes as she watched them drive away. Before long, they were just a dot in the distance.

Finally, nothing but empty, barren land was left.

**12MC12**

After riding for two days, Lucas wearily rode Razor into the yard. Seeing that his son's home was dark, Lucas hoped that meant Mark and his family were at the other house.

After bedding Razor down, Lucas tended to a few things in the barn before heading inside, where he found Milly in the front room, holding their crying daughter.

"Milly, what happened?"

Lydia jumped down from Milly's lap and ran to Lucas, sobbing.

"Mark go away!"

Lucas knelt down and pulled his daughter into his arms, looking up at his wife in askance.

"...They left for New Jersey this morning."

"Mark said he don' know he come back," Lydia continued to cry.

"Shh… Lydia, it's alright."

"Why Mark go away?!"

Lucas set his daughter on his knee and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Mark… Mark's upset at Papa."

"...You say sorry, then Mark comes home?"

Lucas let out a heavy sigh.

"I wish it were that simple…"

"Lucas, what happened?"

"...I'll tell you about it later."

Lucas spent a long while that evening trying to console his daughter. Lydia finally wore herself out and fell asleep on Lucas's shoulder before he put her to bed. Returning to the front room, Lycas found Milly and Micah waiting for him. Milly was the first to speak as Lucas sat down beside her.

"...I haven't ever seen Mark this angry. ...Angry doesn't even begin to describe it. What happened between you two?"

Lucas took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, running his hand through his graying hair.

"...Part of me helping Tom included me helping him fake his death. The plan was that I was supposed to "help" the gang find him before I "shot" him over a ledge… I loaded my rifle with blank bullets, of course. Well Tom hid himself a little too well and it took us longer to find him than I thought it would. That wouldn't have been a problem, except Mark found Tom first…" Lucas quieted and turned to his wife. "...Did you tell Mark where I went?"

"I don't know how he found you, Lucas. I didn't tell him anything."

"She wouldn't even tell me or Cassie," Micah added.

"I was afraid he might find out from one of them."

Lucas nodded his head before going on.

"I was supposed to stick with the outlaws until later on, so I couldn't just pull out. ...And if I didn't take my shot, I knew one of the other men would. So I went through with it and charged Tom. After I fired he made it look like he fell over the edge and down to the bottom of the canyon."

"So Mark thought you killed Tom… that's why he was so upset," Micah stated.

"...That was just the beginning. When I turned, I saw another outlaw going for his gun, so I… I took a shot at Mark before he could. ...I knew a blank bullet that close might do a little damage, so I fired at his side… but something happened. I don't know how, or why but… it wasn't a blank…"

The guilt Lucas felt was apparent in his voice, his eyes… his entire posture.

"Which side?" Micah asked.

"Which side? I don't know… it… it was his left. But what does it matter?"

"Mark was shot there two weeks ago," Milly explained.

"What?! What happened?"

"He… he was shot on the range one day. We don't know why or who… Johnny brought a few men up to look around, but… but there was nothing to give us any clues."

"That's probably why your blank drew blood," Micah commented. "He had probably already torn something with all the riding he did, and then a rifle blank at close range… it was probably just enough."

"And then Doolin insisted on us taking Mark with us…"

"Doolin? You went after the Doolin-Dalton gang?" Micah shook his head in disbelief.

"They… the way they treated him…" Lucas closed his eyes as he remembered what his son had been put through. "...And all I could do was sit there. And when I was able to look at his eyes… he was so angry, so bitter… so hurt. I tried helping him get away, but… I should've known he wouldn't just walk away. He tried getting ahold of my rifle and while we were struggling, one of the outlaws came up behind Mark and pistol whipped him. Then the next morning Doolin said two of the men taught him a lesson about trying to escape. I didn't see him after that, but I can only imagine…"

"...They did a number on him, that's for sure," Micah sighed.

"...What did Mark say when he came home?"

Milly took her husband's hand as she replied.

"...Not much. He… he was furious. He wouldn't even let the boys stay here while Cassie packed. I tried talking to him, but all he…" Milly suddenly gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth as tears formed in her eyes.

"Milly?" Lucas asked in concern.

"He… he asked if I knew. I thought he was just asking if I knew where you had gone, but…"

"...He was asking if you knew I was part of the gang…" Lucas put his arm around his wife and pulled her close. "I'm sorry, Milly…"

"...I didn't understand why he was so upset at me… it's no wonder he wouldn't let me say goodbye…"

"He what?"

"...He wouldn't let me say goodbye to Cassie or the boys. He came over as they were getting ready to leave and let Lydia say goodbye, but… Lucas, what if they don't come back?"

"I don't know…"

"Hold on," Micah said. "That's no way for the two of you to be thinking. Mark loves both of you, and sooner or later I'm sure Cassie will be able to get him to listen to what you have to say, Lucas."

"Micah, they left Mark tied up in a cave after they had beaten him unconscious. The last time Mark saw me, I was planning to rob a stagecoach with a bank transfer.

I shot him, and he thinks I killed Tom!"

"It was only a blank."

"He doesn't know that!"

"Sooner or later he'll come to his senses and realize that more damage would have been done if it had been a real bullet. This will take time, but give it some time and it will all turn out alright."

"...I don't know if it will."

**13MC13**

Mark grabbed his son, stopping him from running out into the aisle and put him back in his seat.

"Daniel, I won't tell you again. Sit still and be quiet."

Cassie looked at her husband in concern as he went back to staring out the window. She could see the anger and hurt in his face, but most of all, she could see how lost Mark was.

"...Daniel, would you like Mana to read you a book?"

"I wan' Papa read!"

Cassie looked again to her husband, who was oblivious to what their son had said.

"...Papa's busy right now."

Cassie went through her bag and pulled out a book and started reading to Daniel.

"*There was an Old Man with a beard,

Who said, "It is just as I feared!-

Two Owls and a Hen,

Four Larks and a Wren,

Have all built their nests in my beard!""

Daniel giggled as Cassie tickled him and turned the page.

"There was a Young Lady of Ryde,

Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied;

She purchased some clogs,

And some small spotty dogs,

And frequently walked about Ryde.

There…"

Cassie stopped as her husband suddenly stood and walked past them, to the end of the car, and out the door. Her face became crestfallen and her heart ached, wishing there was something she could do.

"Mama, read?"

Cassie turned her attention back to Daniel and opened the book back up.

"...There was an Old Man with a nose,

Who said, "If you choose to suppose,

That my nose is too long,

You are certainly wrong!"

That remarkable Man with a nose…"

Cassie continued reading to Daniel until Matthew woke, wanting to be fed.

"Mama, me sit by window?"

"Of course you can."

Cassie watched as her son moved to what had been Mark's seat and stared out the window, fascinated with the passing countryside.

The later it got without Mark returning, the more worried Cassie became. After Matthew and Daniel had both eaten, Cassie read another book before telling her son to close his eyes and get some sleep.

Nearly an hour after the boys had fallen asleep, Mark finally returned to the car and sat down across from his wife.

"Mark…"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I know. You've made that…" Cassie held her tongue, realizing that what she was about to say would only add to the tension. "I know, and I understand. But Mark… whatever happened between you and your Pa… we can't go on like this. I've spent the last week rocking Daniel to sleep because he wanted you home. He was so happy when I told him that you were back… and all you've done since then is yell at him or gotten upset at him for no reason. He wants your attention… positive attention. You've hardly touched Matthew, let alone talk to him, and I…" Cassie stopped, worried she might start crying if said what she felt. "...I know you're hurting, but… that doesn't… it doesn't… all you're doing is hurting your relationship with the boys."

Mark didn't respond, but kept looking out the window. Realizing she wasn't going to get through to him that night, Cassie changed the subject.

"...Did you eat anything?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Mark, please…"

"I'm not hungry!"

Cassie nodded and waited a few moments before asking, "Could you please take Matthew? I have to use the lavatory."

Without voicing a reply, Mark took Matthew from his wife. Cassie quickly walked from their car to the lavatory and locked herself inside before she started crying. She held a hand to her mouth, trying to quiet her sobs as the tears streamed down her face.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Cassie tried to wipe her tears before replying.

"...Just a minute…"

She took a few more moments to compose herself before walking out the door. Cassie tried briskly walking past the woman waiting on her, but felt someone catch her arm.

"Child, are you alright?"

Cassie looked at the elderly woman and recognized her as one of the people in their car.

"I… I'm alright," she quietly answered, still trying to keep the tears from falling.

"Darling, if you're in some sort of trouble…"

"Oh no, not at all."

"...Are you sure? Your husband…"

"No, please, Mark is a wonderful husband, it… it's just…"

Cassie couldn't hold back any longer and broke down crying. The woman pulled Cassie into an embrace and gently reassured her.

"It's alright…"

"I just want to help him," Cassie cried. "He's never been so… so angry before."

"What happened?"

"That's just it… I don't know." Cassie took a step back, wiping her cheeks with the handkerchief the woman offered. "He… he went after my father-in-law, worried he might be in some sort of trouble. But he came back without him. When we asked about Lucas, he just yelled that he didn't know where his Pa was… and that he didn't care. My husband loves his father so much… he would take a bullet for him in a heartbeat. I've seen them at odds with each other before, but… but this… I don't know what to do. He came home and said we were leaving to visit my mother and step-father the next morning. He's been so angry at everyone this whole trip, especially me and the boys…"

"...I know how hard it can be when you don't have answers, when you don't know how to help the one you love the most… but I promise you, keep being patient, keep loving him, and in time his eyes will be opened to the hurt he is causing you."

"I just wish he would talk to me…"

"Give him time. Eventually, he will come to the point where he can't carry this burden on his own any longer. In the meantime, if there is anything you need while we are travelling together, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you," Cassie replied with a small smile as she handed the woman her handkerchief back. "Thank you so much."

**14MC14**

When Cassie woke the next morning, she smiled as she turned to see Mark tickling Daniel; their son laughing and trying to get away.

"Papa, no! No," he laughed, a little too loudly.

Mark put a finger to his son's lips and gently told him to use a quieter voice. Then, Mark started tickling his son again.

"Papa, please!"

Daniel kept trying to squirm out of Mark's arms, taking in big gulps of air between laughs. After another or minute or so, Mark gave it a rest, allowing his son to catch his breath.

"How long we done?"

"You mean how long until we get there?"

Daniel nodded as he grabbed his Pa's hands and stood, trying to balance himself on Mark's knees.

"We'll be there about lunch time."

"That long time?"

"Not too much longer."

"You say story?"

"I'll tell you a story as soon as your Ma wakes up and we have breakfast."

"You shouldn't have waited on me," Cassie said as she grabbed the basket from underneath her seat. "What time is it?"

Mark pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time.

"Quarter till nine."

"Till nine? Mark, why didn't you wake me?"

"Papa say you tired."

"Matthew must be… where's Matthew?"

"It's alright, he's fine."

Mark gestured to the front of the car where a group of elderly women were circled around the baby, all trying to get his attention.

"You… you left him with strangers?"

"I can still see him, Cassie. Besides, what are a couple of harmless old women going to do?" Mark could see in his wife's eyes that she wasn't too pleased with him. "I'll get Matthew so you can feed him…"

Mark set Daniel down on the seat and got Matthew before returning to his wife. As they all ate, Cassie debated whether to bring up Lucas or not. Before she could say anything, however, Mark turned to her and spoke in a low, firm voice.

"I don't want to talk about it, especially not here."

Cassie nodded as a lump formed in her throat. The anger she had hoped was gone could still be seen deep in her husband's eyes.

After breakfast was finished, Mark again set Daniel on his lap and told his son one of Huckleberry Finn's adventures. Cassie was happy to see the smiles on Mark and Daniel's faces, but her heart ached, knowing the turmoil deep inside of her husband.

A little over three hours later, the conductor came through the car, announcing that the train would be arriving in Cherry Hill in ten minutes. Mark stood and got their trunk from the overhead compartment as Cassie began putting toys and books back in her bag.

After the train had settled in the station, the McCains waited until most of the car had cleared before making their way onto the busy platform. Mark and Cassie scanned the crowd for several minutes until they finally heard Ara calling their names.

"Mark, Cassie! Over here!"

After catching sight of Ara, the family made their way towards her.

"Mark, what happened?" Ara asked, appalled at the injuries on her son-in-law's face.

"...It's nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I'm fine."

The woman slowly nodded and greeted Mark and Cassie with hugs before holding out her arms to Daniel.

"Don't you have a hug for your Grandma?"

"You not Gan'Ma!"

"Daniel," Mark chided. "We talked about this last time, remember? This is your Grandma Ara."

"No, not Gan'Ma!"

"It's alright, Mark, I'm sure it's rather confusing for him. Why don't you call me Nana? Can you say, Nana?"

"Nana?" Mark and Cassie both asked in confusion.

"Don't tell me you haven't heard the term before?"

Mark and Cassie both shook their heads, but Daniel quickly voiced his approval by calling, "Nana," and reaching out for Ara.

"...I guess that settles it then," Mark replied as he handed his son to Ara.

"Why don't we make our way to the carriage?"

The family followed Ara through the crowds until reaching what they assumed was Ara's carriage. However, Mark and Cassie both quickly realized that something was missing.

"Is something the matter?"

As Mark handed his bags to the driver, he replied to Ara.

"...Where are the horses?"

"Oh dear me," she chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't suppose you've seen one of these before. This is a horseless carriage, all the way from Europe. It moves all on its own!"

Cassie and Mark stood there for a moment in shock, looking between Ara and the carriage.

"But… how?" Mark asked.

"You'll have to ask Edwin to explain that one to you. He's tried explaining it to me several times and I still can't understand it."

After everyone loaded up inside the carriage, Cassie and Mark watched in awe as the driver somehow managed to get the carriage to start moving down the street. Finally coming out of her state of shock, Cassie turned to her mother.

"Ara, where's Edwin?"

"He wished that he could have met the train, but when you wired earlier this week and said you were coming early, he realized he had a meeting he couldn't get out of. He should be home by supper, and you'll get to meet one of his sons, Simon, this evening, as well."

"I'm sorry we changed our plans so suddenly," Cassie apologized.

"Oh, nonsense! I was so happy when I received the telegram. What made you change your minds?"

Cassie turned to Mark, hoping he would answer, but her husband simply kept looking at the passing buildings.

"...We… we just had some circumstances change that allowed us to come earlier."

Mark stayed silent the entire ride to the Hughs', leaving Cassie and Ara time to catch up. Once they arrived to the very large home, Ara showed Mark and Cassie to the bedroom.

"...Where are the boys going to sleep?"

"I went ahead and fixed up the conjoining room as a nursery for the boys." As Ara spoke, she crossed the room and opened a sliding door. "Daniel, why don't we take a look at your room?"

As fast as his legs would carry him, Daniel ran towards Ara and followed her into the other room. After she had finished showing the family their accommodations, Ara took her leave, stating that tea would be served in an hour if they were interested.

As the door shut behind Ara, Mark walked to the window and pulled the curtain back, looking down at the city below. Cassie came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

"Stop asking me that!" Mark turned and walked to the bed where he began unpacking their trunk. "I've told you more than once that I don't want to talk about, and I won't tell you again!"

Daniel came running into the room and pulled on Cassie's dress.

"Mama, Mama come 'ook!"

Cassie took her son's hand and followed him to the other room, trying to hold back her tears as Daniel showed her the toys and books in the room.

At supper that evening, Mark and Cassie were introduced to Edwin's son Simon and his wife, Sophie. Cassie very quickly got the feeling that the two of them weren't fond of the McCains being there, but Mark was too preoccupied to notice. He didn't say much of anything to anyone that entire evening and retired early, leaving Cassie to visit with the family and keep an eye on the boys.

It was nearing eleven o'clock when Cassie and Ara carried the sleeping boys to the nursery and put them to bed. After Ara said goodnight and left through the boys' bedroom door, Cassie walked to the sliding door and opened it to find that the lamps had all been turned down in her and Mark's room. She quietly changed and got in bed, finally allowing a tear to fall down her cheek.

**15MC15**

"...Johnny, I just don't know what to do," Lucas sighed, shaking his head. "I have half a mind to get on the next train to New Jersey."

"I hate to say it, but that probably would just make matters worse. I think he needs some time and space… you and I know how what a powerful thing hate can be."

"...You know,when Mark was younger, he talked about how he just wanted to make me proud of him… how he didn't want me to be disappointed in him. Come to find out, now matter how proud I was of him, the idea of him disappointing me plagued him for a long time. We eventually worked things out, but… I never thought I'd be the one to look in his eyes and fear the disappointment in them. The anger, the bitterness… that's hard to swallow, but the hurt and disappointment I saw in his eyes… how did I let it come to this?"

"Don't start blaming yourself, Luke."

"There's no one else to blame. I agreed to help Tom, I associated with those outlaws, I pulled the trigger…"

"You did what you had to. I can't imagine how hard this has to be on you, but in time, it will resolve."

"And if it doesn't?"

"I'll personally go out there and knock some sense into your son until he's ready to listen."

Lucas shook his head and crossed the room before dropping into a chair. He took off his hat and started rubbing his head.

"He's not the only one I let down…"

"If Margaret was still here, she wouldn't blame you one bit, either."

"What if they had killed Mark?"

"You didn't let that happen. Stop worrying about the endless possibilities of what could have occurred. It's over, it's in the past. Just be thankful it all turned out alright."

"It did NOT all turn out alright!"

"You're both alive. As long as that's still true, anything else between you can be worked out."

There were several moments of silence before Lucas spoke up again.

"...Do you think he's coming back?"

"Sooner or later he's going to have to come back and face what happened. At the very least, he'll come back to check on Milly and Lydia… and see about getting justice for Tom. Even if those are the only reasons he comes back, he will, and we'll be able to set the record straight."

"Johnny… do you… do you realize just how much he hates me? He… he may never speak to me again."

"Right now he's hurt, he's confused, and honestly, he's probably scared. But your son loves you, Lucas. He'll be angry and bitter until this whole thing is resolved, but he loves you whether he wants to admit it or not."

Lucas ran his hand through his hair.

"...I just wish he would have confronted me instead of-"

Both men turned as the office door opened and Curt stepped inside.

"Lucas, good to see you're back," Curt greeted. "Mark catch up with you alright?"

"Mark…" Lucas stopped and quickly strode towards the man. "You told him where I was?"

"...Was I not supposed to?"

Johnny came up behind his brother-in-law and put a hand on Lucas's shoulder.

"I'm alright, Johnny." Lucas walked back towards the desk, shaking his head. "I didn't think about Mark coming to ask you… I should have… I was so stupid!" The rancher braced himself against the piece of furniture and kicked it.

"...Is something wrong?"

"My son thinks I killed someone and shot him, that's all!"

"...How does he "think" that? Either you did or you didn't."

"They were blank bullets, Curt," Johnny explained. "Lucas, why don't you go home? I'm sure Milly needs you… hiding in town isn't going to do anything."

"...I'll see you both later."

Lucas grabbed his hat and rifle and left the office, heading home. He became so lost in his thoughts on the ride back that he barely saw any of his surroundings, but suddenly whipped around as he realized something wasn't right.

"Lydia!"

Lucas jumped down from Razor and ran back down the path, picking his daughter up when he reached her.

"Lydia Grace what are you doing out here?! You shouldn't… be…" Lucas quieted as he saw the tears falling down her cheeks; the tear stains on her dress telling him that she had been crying for quite some time. "Lydia, sweetheart, what's the matter? Why aren't you at home?"

"Please, Papa, I want to find Mark!"

"Sweetheart, Mark's a long ways away, we can't…"

"But Mark might be hurt!"

"I know he was hurt when he came home, but-"

"No, Papa!"

"...Why do you think something else happened?"

"When Mark go away, he say if someone hurt me, to tell Papa Micah."

"...Why do you think Mark's in trouble, though?"

"Because I not hurt, so they have to hurt Mark!"

Lucas carried his daughter to a rock and sat down, setting Lydia on his knee.

"Lydia, it's alright. Mark is safe. He's with Miss Ara, in New Jersey. Nothing is going to happen to him, or you, or anyone else."

"...Papa, please, can me go with Mark?"

"I'm… I'm afraid it's too late for that, sweetheart. But he'll come back… one day."

"No he won't," Lydia cried.

"Hey now, why would you say something like that?"

Lucas cupped his daughter's face in his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"Papa Micah and Mama said so!"

"No, you must have heard wrong. Mark… Mark's going to come back."

"When?"

"I don't know… but he will."

Lucas carried his daughter back to Razor and mounted up. Lydia sat in front of him, arms still wrapped around her Pa's neck. Lydia cried herself to sleep, each whimper breaking Lucas's heart even more.

When they rode into the yard, Micah and a frantic Milly came running from the barn.

"Oh thank God," Milly cried.

Lucas dismounted and let his wife take Lydia.

"We were just saddling up to look for her," Micah said. "We've been looking around here for the last half hour."

"...I found her on the road coming back from town. How did she get that far?"

"I should have known she wouldn't have slept that long," Milly cried. "If something had happened…"

Lucas pulled his wife into his arms and gently ran his hands up and down her back.

"It's alright; she's alright…"

"Did she say what she was doing?" Micah inquired.

"Going after Mark. ...She said you two said he wasn't coming back…?"

"Micah and I were talking in the kitchen… I… I asked what if Mark didn't come back… she must have overheard us…"

"Why don't you get her inside? I'll help Micah put the horses away."

It was a quiet evening at the ranch. No one felt like talking or doing much of anything, so they all turned in early. Milly woke in the middle of the night and realized Lucas wasn't in bed beside her. She put her robe on and stepped out to the front room to see her husband sitting in front of the fire.

"Lucas…?" As Milly walked closer, she saw tears streaming down his face. "Lucas, what's wrong?"

"Lydia, today, she… did you hear what Mark told her when he left?"

"No…?"

"...When I found Lydia today, she said she was worried someone was going to hurt Mark, because he told her to get Micah if someone hurt her."

"...I don't understand how they connect."

"...She reasoned that since no one had hurt her, someone must have gone to gurt Mark."

"And you're worried that someone did?"

"No… I…" The lump in Lucas's throat continued to swell, making it difficult to talk. "...I didn't realize it today when she told me, but… when Mark told Lydia that, he… he was talking about me. He was warning her about me!"

Milly knelt down beside Lucas and took his hand.

"No, Lucas, that can't be…"

"If he hadn't been, he would have told her to tell me, not Micah! My own children are afraid of me!"

Tears streamed down Lucas's cheeks as he covered his face with his hand.

"It's going to be alright. Mark has to come back… he won't, he can't run away forever. And he'll listen, and he'll understand that he was wrong."

"Why couldn't he have just stayed put, Milly, why?"

"Because your son loves you, Lucas, and he always will."

"You saw how angry he was, how much I hurt him…"

"But he doesn't know the full story yet, Lucas. One day, he will."

**16MC16**

Mark was walking through the stables late one evening when he suddenly heard someone walk up behind him.

"I thought I might find you out here."

Mark turned around to see Edwin coming up beside him.

"Just admiring your horses. You have some good stock."

"Fruits of years of horse trading. Are you still needing a horse? I'd be happy to give you one of mine, I have more than I know what to do with."

"...That is a very generous offer, sir, and thank you, but… these horses aren't accustomed to rough terrain. I'm afraid if I accepted your offer I might just ruin a good city horse."

"I had not thought of that, but I suppose you are right. I haven't seen much of you the last few days… how are things on your ranch coming along?"

"...Fine."

"And how are your parents?"

"Fine."

"And your marriage with Cassie?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard my question."

"That, sir, is frankly none of your business. But it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Don't you think a man is aware of what his marriage is like?"

"...I'm not quite sure you do. Mark, I don't know what is going on, but there certainly is something bothering you and Cassie. The way you treated her when we met a few months ago is not anything like you treat her now."

"Just what do you mean?"

"I intend to imply that you have hardly spent any time with your wife, you leave her to tend to the children on her own, you do not escort her to dinner or to the carriage when her and Ara go to town, and if you do speak with her, it is "frankly" in a down right rude and condescending manner. No man is perfect, I make my own mistakes, but I noticed something different about you when we first met. Whatever that was, seems to have vanished into thin air. Either you do not see that your wife is hurting or you simply do not care."

"This isn't any of your business."

"I understand that I am merely a stranger to you, but I can see where this path is going to take you if you continue down it. Your wife perhaps will not confront you, so with the absence of her father, I will. Divorce is becoming all too common-"

"I am not going to divorce my wife! This Isn't about me and her, anyway!"

"But whatever "this" is, it is affecting the relationship you two have with each other. ...I know you love her, but you're neglecting her."

"I am not neglecting her!"

"When was the last time you asked her if she was alright? When was the last time you asked her if she needed anything? Do you even realize that she is lying down right now with a pounding headache that she has suffered from all week?"

"...Why didn't she tell me?"

"Maybe she was afraid you wouldn't listen… or care."

Mark stood there for a long time, trying to find a response. Finally, he let out a deep breath and shook his head.

"...Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Edwin turned and left the barn, leaving Mark to his thoughts. Mark began to recount the last week, recognizing more and more how he had taken his anger out on his wife. He cringed, remembering the way he had yelled at her when he first returned home.

After spending a while longer in the barn, Mark made his way back to the house. When Mark had reached the top of the stairs, he could hear Matthew crying from the boys' room. He quietly headed that direction and took care of Matthew before making his way to his and Cassie's room. He quickly realized she wasn't there, but saw that the door to the balcony was cracked open.

Feeling someone take her hand, Cassie jumped before she turned and saw Mark standing beside her.

"...I'm sorry."

"I just didn't hear you come up behind me."

"No… I'm sorry."

"...What do you mean?"

"I've been so selfish… and angry… and I wasn't just hurting my relationship with the boys, but I was hurting our relationship… and I was hurting you. I'm sorry for yelling at you, especially that first day I came home. I'm sorry for… for being so condescending… and controlling with you. ...I'm ashamed of myself for treating you the way I have. I've… I've no right to act the way I have… I've been behaving like a child… and I don't have any excuse… I don't know why you've put up with me like this. I wouldn't dare stand there and let anyone treat you the way I have… and yet I've hurt you more than anyone else could."

Tears trickled down Cassie's cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Mark and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I…" Cassie tried to say more, but she couldn't. She just cried as she felt Mark's arms wrap around her.

"I'm so sorry, Cassie…"

There were several moments of silence before Cassie finally looked up at Mark.

"...You came home all beat up and wouldn't even let me tend to your bruises… yelling at me, yelling at your Ma. ...You… you've never been so… so angry. Mark, you're scaring me…"

"I'm sorry…" Mark bent down and kissed her forehead. "I… Cassie, I promise I'll tell you what happened, but… not now… I can't… I don't even want to think about it…"

Cassie reached up and gently touched one of the bumps on Mark's forehead.

"Just be alright…"

"Cass, I can't tell you how sorry…"

Cassie put a finger to Mark's lips before pulling him into a kiss, tears still falling from her eyes.

"It's alright."

"No, it's not alright…"

"I forgive you, Mark. It's in the past."

Mark reached down and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"...Edwin said you've had a headache all week?"

Cassie slowly nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"...You had enough to deal with."

"You should have told me. Tomorrow, I'm going to take the boys all day. So if you need to rest, or if you would like an afternoon with Ara without them around…"

"Mark, I don't want you to feel like you have to-"

"They're my sons, too, and I've been neglecting all three of you a little… well, a lot too much. If you need anything, you let me know."

"...Are you really alright?"

Mark bent down and gave his wife a long kiss.

"I love you, Cassie. ...Now…"

Mark picked his wife up, sweeping her off her feet.

"What are you doing?"

"You should be getting rest, not out here, catching a cold."

"I'm perfectly capable of walking back to bed."

"Not on my watch."

**17MC17**

"Lucas, I'm not going to let you sit here all day by yourself and wallow in your misery," Milly declared, crossing her arms. "We all wish that Mark and Cassie were here, but they aren't and we can't change that. Sitting around here, moping all day isn't going to make anything better."

"Milly, I can't…"

"You still have a daughter who needs you, Lucas! You're becoming more and more withdrawn and it's affecting her!"

"Not today, Milly!"

Milly threw her arms up into the air and walked out of the house, letting the door slam shut behind her.

"He still won't change his mind?" Micah asked.

"I'm afraid not…"

"Mama, me… can I try?"

Milly softly smiled and helped her daughter down from the buckboard.

"I suppose."

Lydia ran across the yard and up the porch steps before opening the door and walking inside the house. She climbed up into Lucas's lap and knelt down on his legs, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Papa, please come? Please?"

"Lydia…"

"Please Papa? I want you to come."

Lucas took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, looking into his daughter's hopeful face. He softly chuckled, remembering what his son had said to him just a few months before.

"_You can't say no to her any more than I can_."

Lucas picked Lydia up and stood, shaking his head.

"Alright, Lydia, I'll come."

"Yay!"

Lucas walked outside with his daughter and started getting back into the buckboard with her.

"Lucas, I can-"

"That's alright," Lucas interrupted his wife. "You were right about what you said in the house."

As Micah drove the team, Lucas played with his daughter in the back of the rig, getting chided for sneaking food more than once.

Once the family arrived at the Gibbs', Lucas told everyone to head inside while he took care of the team. As he was brushing down the horses, Johnny came out to the barn and started helping him.

"Glad you could make it, Lucas. ...Any word?"

Lucas simply shook his head in reply, not taking his eyes off the horse.

"How are things going at the ranch?"

"...It's… the work is one thing, but I'm managing. But not having Mark there… it's killing me, Johnny."

"...Do you know when they're supposed to be coming home?"

"...Originally, they bought tickets so they could be back by next Wednesday. But I doubt they'll be using those tickets."

"I wish there was something I could do."

"...Thanks, Johnny."

After they finished with the horses, Lucas and Johnny headed inside and visited with the other men. As the day wore on, Lucas found himself struggling as he watched fathers and sons interacting; Doc and Andrew, Andrew and his boys, Johnny and Peter, Reverend Graft and Ethan… it brought back such special, but under the circumstances, painful memories to Lucas. What he wouldn't give to have his own son present…

Later that afternoon, Lucas had stepped outside for some peace and quiet. Left alone with his thoughts, Lucas was about ready to just borrow a horse from Johnny and go home, but then Curtis came outside and joined him on the porch.

"...Lucas, Johnny told me about what happened between you and Mark. ...I'm sorry I told him… I didn't think anything of it and… well, like usual, I just went and said the wrong thing."

"...It's my own fault. I told Milly not to say anything, but I should've known he would just head to the office next. And even if you hadn't told him…" Lucas gave a short, sad laugh as he shook his head. "Knowing Mark, he probably would have found me, anyway…"

"...Do you mind me asking why you didn't just tell him in the first place?"

"...I've been asking myself that same question since I got back home. At first I told myself it was so I could do my job right. When my wife asked me that, before I left, I told her that I couldn't risk him being a distraction, that I couldn't risk them using him against me."

"But?"

"...But while that played into it… I know I did it because I didn't want to be responsible for him being in danger… again."

"But it was his choice to follow after you."

"He wouldn't have been out there if it wasn't for me. He's a man, but… I won't ever be able to not see a ten-year-old boy deep inside of him, somewhere. I still feel responsible for him… and I… if something happened and I had to tell Cassie her husband died, trying to help me…"

"You're not responsible for him anymore, Lucas. If it had been me or Johnny or anyone else, you might feel some guilt, but you wouldn't be beating yourself over it like this."

"You're not my son."

"No, I'm not. And even though I don't have children… I can understand why you feel the way you do. My father felt the same way after… after I lost my eye. But what he had to come to understand was that I was a man who could make my own choices. That if I decided to get myself into something, then I, and I alone was responsible for the consequences that I endured. I can see how much you love your son, but as with my own father and I… you have to learn to work together, not shove each other apart by trying to protect each other."

"Partners…" Lucas mumbled.

"What?"

"...Just something I realized a long time ago… and I guess I lost sight of. ...Thanks, Curt."

That evening after Milly had put Lydia to bed, she joined Lucas in the sitting room.

"Micah already turn in?"

"He was tired from today…" Lucas draped an arm around Milly as she sat down beside him. "I'm sorry about this morning, I…"

"You don't need to explain, Lucas."

"...I feel like I should. After Margaret died, Mark and I never really celebrated holidays."

"...I remember noticing that when I lived here the first time."

"...It was actually a full ten years before we accepted any invitation anywhere. I don't know if I would have, except the Osbornes were new in town and Lou was getting on me about never letting Mark celebrate the holidays and… and for once Mark showed interest. So for the first time in ten years… we celebrated Thanksgiving. Not having Mark here today… it was…"

"...I understand."

Lucas rested his head on hers and let out a heavy sigh.

"Thank you."

**18MC18**

Though Cassie could still see the hurt and struggle inside of her husband, Mark's mood considerably improved after that night on the balcony.

Thanksgiving day arrived, bringing several guests to the Hughs' home, as well as both of Edwin's sons and their wives. More than once, Simon's wife, Sophie, pulled Cassie out of the kitchen.

"That's what the hired help is for," she insisted.

"I just feel so bad not helping…"

"Oh, you are too funny!"

"Not funny at all," A man stated as he came up to them. "Father was right when he said you were an angel."

"An angel?" Cassie almost laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Indeed. I don't think we've met yet; I apologize, I was pulled aside by other guests. I'm Christopher Hugh, Edwin's son."

"A pleasure to meet you," Cassie replied, extending her hand.

Christopher took it and slightly bowed as he gave it a gentle shake.

"I understand my brother had dinner with you and your husband last week; I do hope he didn't completely destroy my reputation."

Cassie smiled and gently chuckled.

"No, not at all."

"That's good to hear; I wouldn't want my little sister thinking badly of me, now would I?"

"N...no…"

"...I apologize, that was in poor taste. I understand with the circumstances of our relationship if you are uncomfortable with the term."

"No, not at all, I'm sorry. I just… I didn't quite know how you and your brother felt about me, and to hear you so freely call me that… it's something special."

Suddenly Sophie walked away, beathing an, "Excuse me," as she left.

"I do apologize for my sister-in-law… she still has to adjust to the idea some."

"...In contrast to the first evening we met, she has seemed quite friendly to me."

"...She's… I suppose you might say, "fishing for information," at social gatherings such as this and knows I won't let her get away with that."

"...That explains a few of her questions then."

"With Sophie gone, I would like to say that if Simon gave you any ideas last week that you weren't welcome here, please ignore them. He was skeptical of father remarrying, but eventually he will come around."

"Thank you."

Cassie turned as Mark walked up to them, two glasses of punch in one hand and Matthew in the other arm.

"Christopher, I'd like you to meet my husband, Mark. Mark, this is Edwin's other son, Christopher."

"Good to finally meet you," Mark said. "I'd shake your hand, but…"

"No worries," Christopher chuckled. "And who's this?"

"This is Matthew, our youngest," Cassie replied.

"Youngest?"

"You sound surprised," Mark commented.

"I apologize… it's only that around here, most people your age are just now getting engaged. How many children do you have?"

"Just Daniel, who's running around here somewhere, and Matthew… but Cassie and I hope for more."

"Do you have any children?" Cassie asked.

The man hesitated in answering, shifting his weight.

"I apologize, I…"

"No, no, please, you're alright. It's only that Isabelle and I have struggled to have children… we've been married for seven years now…"

"Again, I-"

"Cassie, please, it's alright." The man smiled and lowered his voice as he continued. "We're waiting to announce it until Christmas, but we're expecting."

"Oh that's wonderful!"

"Congratulations," Mark offered.

"Just don't tell my wife I told you, or I'll never hear the end of it!"

"Of course," Cassie quietly chuckled.

"So, Christopher, what kind of work are you in?"

"Nothing too exciting, I'm afraid. I'm one of the judges for Cherry Hill."

"How long have you been studying law?" Cassie asked. "My brother used to be a lawyer."

"Since about the time I was sixteen… father insisted. What does your brother do now if he isn't a lawyer?"

"He's a deputy for the U.S. Marshals Service."

"Now that might be something I'd actually enjoy."

"They're always looking for new recruits," Mark casually mentioned. "...I can pull a few strings if you're really interested."

"Well thank you, but I don't think my wife would be too happy if I decided to change careers all of a sudden… neither would my father. However, enough about myself, what do you do, Mark?"

Cassie watched as her husband struggled to answer.

"I… my father and I... work our ranch together."

"Now that is something that has always fascinated me. As a boy I read dime-novels about the cowboys out west, I always wondered what life out there was truly like."

"...Well it's not quite all what those books crack it up to be, but… it's good, hard work."

"How many head of cattle do you run?"

"...We had to sell off quite a bit of our heard a few years ago, but we're building it back up. ...He runs about a hundred head of cattle during our busy season."

"Have you thought about getting some investors?"

"Not with our luck," Mark laughed.

"I know father described your hometown as a bit… well, bare bones, but I'm sure there's plenty you do for fun there. What do the people of your town do for leisure?"

"Well there's always something to do," Cassie replied. "When we have time, the women will get together to quilt or bake… we have plenty of town socials and there's usually a barn raising or two each year."

"...Barn racing? What in the world is that?"

"Barn _raising_," Mark chuckled. "When someone needs to get a barn built, usually a lot of the friends and neighbors will get together and help build it over a day or two. The women help by cooking the food while the men work… of course, unless you're Cassie and do both."

"You've actually helped build a barn?"

"She helped me build our house."

"I… but… with all those skirts and… how do you even have enough room to bend over and… and lift materials?"

"Well fortunately, the way we dress back home is much less constrictive compared to what I've seen the women around here wearing on a regular basis," Cassie answered. "I wouldn't even wear something like this to church… it'd probably be ruined by the time we got there, with all the dirt and mud from the road."

"Interesting…"

"And usually when Cassie knows she's going to be helping build something, she'll wear…" Mark quieted as Cassie gently squeezed his arm. "...More… comfortable clothing."

"Is your wife here?" Cassie asked. "I would love to meet her."

"She's somewhere around here. Follow me."

Mark and Cassie were soon introduced to Isabelle, and the foursome spent the rest of the day together, immensely enjoying each other's company.

At the end of the evening, Mark and Christopher returned from the stables and were walking around the house, looking for their wives. They finally found Cassie and Isabelle in the kitchen, washing the dishes.

"Ara's not going to be happy if she finds you two in here again," Christopher commented.

"We were just helping Liza finish up, we'll be out in a while," Isabelle replied.

Mark shook his head and walked to Cassie's side, starting to help dry and put away the dishes. Christopher stood there for several moments in confusion before slowly following Mark's lead.

"Where are the boys?" Cassie asked.

"Ara and I put them down a while ago, they were exhausted."

"I'm surprised Daniel was able to fall asleep… I don't think he's ever had so many sweets in one sitting!"

"I just hope he doesn't wake up sick tonight."

As they all continued working on the dishes, playful banter bounced off the walls. After the kitchen was clean, Christopher and Isabelle said goodnight and made their way home.

As the couple was preparing for bed that evening, Isabelle turned to her husband.

"...Thank you."

"For what?"

"...For helping tonight. I… I can't tell you how much it meant that… that you… you were willing to do that with me. I know you would have much rather gone to play billiards."

"I… I enjoyed it. I actually enjoyed it…"

**19MC19**

A few evenings later, Mark was returning downstairs after putting the boys to bed when he heard music coming from down one of the halls. He followed the sound until he reached the back parlor and was surprised when he saw his wife sitting at the piano. He stood in the doorway, listening as his wife finished playing and singing the piece.

"...*_Even today we hear Love's song of yore,_

_Deep in our hearts it dwells forevermore._

_Footsteps may falter, weary grow the way,_

_Still we can hear it at the close of day._

_So till the end, when life's dim shadows fall,_

_Love will be found the sweetest song of all._

_Just a song a twilight, when the lights are low,_

_And the flick'ring shadows softly come and go,_

_Tho' the heart be weary, sad the day and long,_

_Still to us at twilight comes Love's old song,_

_comes Love's old sweet song_…"

Mark walked up behind Cassie and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I didn't know you played the piano?"

Cassie nodded and leaned back in Mark's arms.

"...Ma made me learn. Every time we moved she managed to find me a teacher and I absolutely hated it… until we moved to North Fork, and there was no piano or organ in the church. At first I was ecstatic, but after a few months… I realized how much I missed it."

"You should have told me, I could have made room for one in the house."

"We don't need to be spending money on something like that. Besides, I haven't played in years and I'm not much good anymore."

"Sounded beautiful to me."

"I think you might be just a bit partial, Mr. McCain."

Cassie looked up and smiled as Mark bent down and gave his wife a kiss. Cassie took Mark's hand and stood before they walked onto the terrace, where it was just beginning to snow. Mark held Cassie in his arms as they stood there, taking in the moment.

...But Cassie could feel the tension in her husband's arms. She knew how troubled he was, and she couldn't wait any longer.

"Mark… when are we going back home?"

When Mark didn't respond, Cassie turned around and looked up into her husband's face to see tears welling in his eyes.

"Mark…?"

"...I don't… I don't know if I can…"

"...We can't hide from them forever, Mark. We have to go back home at some point."

"I… if… when I go back… it will only be long enough to pack the house up."

"What? Why?"

"We can't live there anymore… I can't put you and the boys in danger like that."

"Danger? Mark, what are you talking about?"

Tears started heavily falling down Mark's face as he sat down on the cold, wooden bench. Cassie took a seat beside her husband and gently put her hand on Mark's shoulder.

"Please, Mark, tell me what happened?"

In a lifeless, hoarse whisper, Mark answered his wife.

"...Pa tried to kill me."

Cassie sat there in shock, unable to believe what Mark had said.

"No… no Mark, that can't be right…"

"He tried to kill me," Mark cried. "And the worst part was… he was upset when he realized he hadn't."

"Your Pa would never…"

"He hit me in the side and turned to one of the outlaws… and… and in complete disbelief said, "I missed."" Mark swallowed, remembering the disappointment he had heard in Lucas's voice. "...He tried to kill me!"

Bitterly crying, Mark laid his head down on Cassie's lap. She gently ran her hand through his hair, not knowing what to say. Finally, she asked what had happened after he left the Ranch.

"...Curt said Pa went to Santa Rosa with an old friend of my Pa's… Tom Benton. I rode there as fast as I could and looked around town. ...When… when I described Pa and Tom to the liveryman, he told me the last time he had seen them, they were riding out of town, headed south. I rode until I finally caught up… caught up with Tom. ...He didn't recognize me, but as soon as I told him who I was, he told me to get out of there. I demanded to know where Pa was, and he just kept yelling at me to leave. I couldn't leave, I had to find Pa…" Mark's voice shook as the tears fell harder and faster down his face. "...Then Tom suddenly pushed me to the ground and when I looked up… Pa… he was there. He shot Tom and killed him. I… I tried to get up... and before… before I could do anything… Pa… Pa shot me." Mark struggled to go on, nearly choking on his tears. "...I must have passed out at one point... because when I woke up I was tied up at their camp. Pa… he was… he was working with the Doolin-Dalton gang. ...And… and Pa just stood there as they beat me up. ...At one point, Pa took my pocket knife away and loosened the ropes, telling me to just "forget" what I had seen and to get out of there. ...I couldn't. I couldn't just walk away from all those killers and let them keep doing what they were doing. ...I went for Pa's rifle and we struggled… he must have knocked me out because the next time I woke up, I was tied up again, this time to a saddle. ...Two of the outlaws… they spent what felt like hours beating up on me before dragging me to some cave and tying me up before I went unconscious again. ...I woke up alone… worked myself loose… and then I came home..."

Tears fell down both of their faces as Mark finished explaining what had happened.

"Everything I knew… my entire life… what I thought my Pa and I had… it was all I lie…"

Cassie struggled to find her voice as she tried to respond.

"Mark… Mark, please don't get upset… but if your Pa tried to help you get away…"

"You're defending him?!" Mark yelled, sitting up.

"No, Mark." Cassie cupped his face in her hands. "...But I know your Pa loves you more than anything in this world and would die before he let anything happen to you."

"How could you-"

"Mark, please! Just try to listen! Your Pa wouldn't try to kill you! I don't know what happened, but there has to be more to the story!"

"Just what makes you so sure of that?!"

"Because you're still alive!"

"...What do you mean?"

"I mean if your Pa would have tried to kill you, he would have killed you. Your Pa wouldn't have "missed." If your Pa was in the wrong, he wouldn't have tried to let you go, because he knew that as soon as you both got home you would take him straight to Uncle Johnny."

"He killed Tom!"

Hot tears ran down Mark's face; he couldn't believe what his wife was saying. Cassie took Mark's hands in her own as she went on.

"I don't have all the answers, Mark, but we both know that your Pa wouldn't kill anyone unless they gave him no other choice. There's something more to the story, and… and if you won't find out what it is…"

"What are you saying?"

"...I'm saying... the boys and I are going to be on the train tomorrow morning."

"No you're not! Don't you understand that he tried to kill me? I didn't even have my rifle out of the scabbard!"

Cassie looked into her husband's tear filled eyes and could see how frightened he was.

"Mark, I love you. ...But I can't believe that your father tried to kill you! I know you're scared… but deep down, you have questions yourself; I can see it in your eyes. ...Deep down, you know there's another explanation."

"...I want there to be… I do, but… Cassie… he tried… he tried to kill me…"

"We can't spend our whole lives hiding and wondering. ...We need to find the truth… even… even if it's not what we want to hear."

"I can't go back… what if he tries to…"

"He had plenty of opportunities before if that was his intention. Please, Mark, we have to find out. ...I'll follow you anywhere after that… but we can't just run away and not hear him out."

Mark slowly nodded, fear raging inside of him.

Cassie took a hand and put it to Mark's cheek, using her thumb to wipe his tears away.

"No matter what happens, Mark, I love you, and I _will_ stand by you."

Tears streaming down both their faces, Mark and Cassie pulled each other into a long, passionate kiss.

**20MC20**

The next morning after breakfast, the McCains said goodbye to Ara and Edwin. Christopher and Isabelle had joined everyone for breakfast, allowing them to bid the family farewell, also.

"I'm so glad you could come," Ara said as she gave Mark and Cassie a hug. She then knelt down to Daniel's level and he happily gave her a hug. "You bring your parents out here more often!"

"Me will!"

"Mark," Christopher began, "It was a pleasure to meet you. We hope to see you again soon some time."

"The pleasure was mine." Mark shook the man's hand as he went on. "We'll keep in touch."

Cassie gave Isabelle a hug, promising to write when she could. As Cassie started to say goodbye to Christopher, Edwin asked if he could talk to Mark for a minute. He agreed and followed Edwin into the study.

"...I did not intend to, but I did overhear your conversation with Cassie last night on the terrace. ...Are you alright?"

"...My father tried to kill me and now… now I'm going back to confront him. ...No, I'm not alright."

"...I do not understand why you are going back… but I respect your decision. If you need anything, a place to stay, a job, anything… please do not hesitate to ask us."

"Thank you, Edwin."

The McCains finished saying their goodbyes before the Hughs' driver took the family to the train station. Once they boarded, Mark took the seat by the window and just sat there, staring out of it for hours. Cassie watched her husband in concern, wondering what the next few days would bring. Suddenly, Cassie felt Daniel tugging her dress.

"What is it Daniel?"

Daniel climbed up into Cassie's lap beside his brother and looked up at her as he replied in a whisper.

"...Mama, Papa mad 'gain?"

"No, darling… Papa… Papa is just sad."

"But why?"

"...He just is."

"Me make him not sad?"

"...You can try."

Cassie smiled as her son got down from her lap and climbed up into the seat beside Mark. Daniel took his Pa's hat and put it on his own head, causing Mark to turn.

"...Hey now, just what do you think you're doing?"

Mark picked Daniel up and set him on his lap.

"Me rancher!"

Mark's eyes grew sadder as he remembered the day his Pa gave him his first hat.

"Papa, please not sad… me sorry…"

"Don't worry about it, Partner… I'm fine." Mark forced a smile onto his face and started roughly bouncing Daniel on his lap. "You better hold on, or the horse might just buck you off!"

Cassie smiled as she watched Daniel laugh. Matthew began squirming out of her arms and crawling across the seats.

"I think someone else might want a turn," she commented.

For the next little while, Mark played with the boys until they both started getting tired. Cassie took Daniel as Mark held Matthew, trying to get their sons to take a nap.

That night, Cassie noticed that Mark started stirring in his sleep. She looked up at him and saw the tension in his face as he began mumbling. Worried he might start calling out, Cassie gently shook Mark, trying to wake him. As Mark opened his eyes, he slightly jumped and his whole body tensed. Remembering where he was, Mark slowly let out a deep breath.

"...I can't do this. We have to get off at the next stop."

"We have to do this."

"What… what if I go out there and he tries… tries to…"

"Mark, it's going to be alright." Cassie gently put a hand to his cheek. "That's why you're taking Uncle Johnny with you."

"Cassie… I…"

Tears again started falling down Mark's face.

"What am I going to do? I… Pa… he… I can't…"

"Shh… it's alright. We'll figure this all out together. We don't know if we have the whole story yet… we just have to wait until we do."

Mark rested his head against hers and continued in a whisper.

"I can't lose him like this…"

It was a very long three day trip back to North Fork. Mark was becoming more and more anxious the closer they got, and more than once, Cassie thought Mark might just decide to get off the train before they got home.

North Fork came into view shortly before the conductor came through the car, announcing the town as their final stop for the day. Mark kept fidgeting with his rifle as he nervously tapped his boot on the floor.

The McCains waited until the platform had cleared before finally getting off the train. Cassie turned to Mark, who seemed almost glued to the platform. Moving Matthew to her other hip, Cassie took Mark's hand.

"It's alright; we can do this."

The small family made their way down the quiet, almost deserted streets of North Fork. Mark led the way to the marshal's office and held the door open for his wife and sons.

Hearing someone entering the office, Johnny looked up from his desk, relieved to see that it was Mark and Cassie.

"I don't think I've been happier to see anyone else in my whole life!" Johnny walked towards them and greeted the family with hugs. "We've all been worried sick about you!"

"...Uncle Johnny," Mark quietly began. "I need to tell you something."

"Lucas told us what happened, Mark, and there are a few things you need to know."

"...I don't know what he told you, but… Pa… he killed someone… and then he tried to kill me..."

"No, he shot someone, and then had no choice but to shoot you, but with blank bullets."

Mark slowly lifted his gaze from the floor to his uncle.

"...What?"

"Tom Benton isn't dead, Mark. He's actually out at your parents' place, visiting right now. And if your Pa had actually shot you with a real bullet, you would be dead."

"...But I was bleeding… I passed out…"

"Only because you had gotten shot there less than two weeks before and then went and spent two days riding in a saddle. A blank at that range, hitting an old injury, could have easily caused the damage it did. An actual bullet would have probably killed you."

"...But… but why… why was he shooting at us at all? Why was he working with them?"

"He wasn't working with them. He was helping Tom arrest them… but they needed to think Tom was out of the picture, first."

Mark sat down in one of the chairs, shaking his head as he tried to take it all in.

"Your Pa went looking for you as soon as he could, but by then, you were already gone."

"I…" Mark slowly looked up at Johnny again. "...They were blanks?"

Johnny nodded.

"He's been beating himself up ever since he got back, worried sick about you never coming back… we were all worried we'd never see you again."

"Would you… can you take Cassie and the boys over to the hotel? Go… go ahead and get a room, Cassie."

"Mark?" She asked.

"...I need to talk to Pa… alone."

"Sure, Mark," Johnny answered.

The marshal grabbed his coat and walked to the door, opening it for Cassie. She looked back at Mark, concern in her eyes.

"Mark, are you alright?"

"I… I'll be fine…"

"I can ride out with you, if you would like," Johnny offered.

"No… no… please just go… I need a minute."

"Papa?"

Mark pulled his son into his lap and gave him a big hug.

"It's alright… go with your Ma and Uncle Johnny."

When the door finally shut behind them, Mark let the tears fall from his eyes. He dropped to the floor and began weeping; not out of fear, or anger, or resentment… but out of relief.

**21MC21**

Ned came out from behind a boulder and trained his gun on the man standing in front of him.

"Drop your weapon!"

"I don't think so," the man spat back, pulling back the hammer on his pistol.

"Drop your weapon, NOW!"

Suddenly, Ned saw one of his deputies running into the open field, making himself an easy target for the sniper on the ridge above them.

"ALLEN, HIT THE DIRT!"

Ned dropped to the ground and fired at the outlaw in front of him before redirecting his attention to the man above them. He ran for cover behind a tree, bullets showering down from the ridge. The deputy stepped out from his hiding place and fired; one of his bullets finally hitting his target.

Ned ran towards Allen, who was picking himself up off the ground.

"Are you hit?"

"...No… I think I'm fine…"

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"I would've had him if-"

"You were given your orders! You could be dead right now!"

"But I would have been able to shoot him if-"

Ned grabbed the deputy's shoulder and spun him around, pointing to the dead body above them.

"I don't give orders just because I like to hear myself talk! You get to my office and stay there!"

"But the bodies…"

"You're here to follow orders, not defy them! Get to my office, NOW!"

"Yes sir…"

Ned shook his head as his deputy walked away. His attention was diverted when he heard another man calling for him from the ridge.

"Deputy, what do you want with him?"

"Put him on your horse and bring him down."

Ned took care of the other body while he waited for Hill to get to the bottom of the canyon.

"What happened? Did he start shooting?"

"No, Allen didn't follow orders."

"I'm sorry I couldn't get up there faster, but the back way was much more difficult than I thought."

"Never apologize for following orders. Had you come up the traditional route, Bennet would have seen you coming."

The two deputies rode back to their base and took care of the bodies. Ned waited a little while longer than he needed to before returning to his office, where he found Allen sitting at his desk.

"Get on your feet!"

Allen jumped up and practically ran to the opposite side of the desk. Ned took his seat and shook his head.

"Allen, I don't know what I'm going to do with you…"

"I didn't know there was a man on the ridge."

"That's why you follow orders! Do you know how close I was to having to pay your wife a visit?!"

"But I-"

"You will stand there and not say anything until I dismiss you!"

The deputy nodded.

"Your behavior is reckless, you don't follow orders, and I don't want to know how many fights you've instigated between the men since you've been here! If it was just your life we were dealing with, I wouldn't take the time of day to chew you out since you apparently have no regard for it! But you could have gotten both me and Deputy Hill killed today! And then there's your wife; do you WANT to leave her a widow?!" Ned slammed his fist on the desk and stood. "I've lost too many good men in the last seven months, I don't need to be losing idiots like you, too! I'm putting you on patrol every night this week, as well as kitchen duty, and anything else I can think up before our next assignment! And if you mess up one more time, Allen, I'll have no choice but to take your badge!"

Ned could see the question in his deputies face.

"Because of the shortage of men, Denver won't allow us to put anyone on probation that's stationed down here. Either you're active duty, or your relationship with the Marshals Service ends! You say you enjoy your job, so if you want to keep it, I suggest you get your act together! I-"

Ned was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"What?"

The door opened and Deputy Stills entered the office.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but Marshal Jennings requested that you come to his office, immediately."

"I'll be right there." Ned turned to Allen as he continued. "Go find something useful to do, you're dismissed."

Ned left the room and made his way to Marshal Jennings's office. He knocked on the door and waited for a reply before entering.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Ned, we received word from Red Rock that your wife has taken ill."

"Did they say what was wrong? Who's watching Amelia?"

"I'm afraid I don't have any details. I'm giving you an extra two days of leave so you can be with your family."

"Thank you, thank you, sir."

"You're welcome. I hope she has a speedy recovery."

Forgetting to wait until he was dismissed, Ned left the office and ran to the stables before saddling his horse. He didn't arrive at the former fort until late that evening and immediately made his way to the infirmary. Seeing one of his friend's wives, Ned quickly asked her about Helen.

"Do you know where she is? What's wrong?"

"I don't know what happened, but it must not have been very serious, because I think they sent her home not too long after they brought her in."

"Thank you, Sarah."

Ned ran home and started calling for his wife as soon as he walked inside.

"Helen?!"

"Shh," Helen called as she came from a bedroom. "You'll wake Amelia. What are you doing home?"

"Are you alright? They said you were ill…"

"I think "ill" would be a slight exaggeration. I had some dizzy spells and threw up a few times, that's all."

"That's all?"

"Ned, it's alright, it's perfectly normal."

"Normal?! Helen-"

"What pregnant woman doesn't get dizzy and lose her breakfast a few times?"

"What preg… you're pregnant? You're pregnant?!"

Helen smiled and wrapped her arms around Ned's neck.

"Happy birthday, Papa."

**22MC22**

Mark rented a horse from Nils and began that long, familiar ride back to the ranch. His thoughts were a mess as he made his way back home; how could he have not realized it was a blank? Why hadn't he trusted his Pa? Why had he lost faith in him?

Time seemed to stand still as Mark rode. He just wanted to be back home, with his Pa. ...He just wanted to know for sure that the one person who had always had his back, still did.

When Mark finally rode into the yard, Milly came running out from the house, calling his name. The young rancher dismounted and pulled her into an embrace, tears falling down both their faces.

"I'm sorry, Ma… I'm so sorry…"

Milly took a small step back and cupped Mark's face in her hands.

"Are you alright?"

Mark nodded, swallowing hard.

"...I wasn't using my head, I wasn't thinking clearly… I thought Pa was part of the gang… and I thought you knew. I should have talked, I should have listened, I should have let you say goodbye…"

"Mark, it's alright. After what you had been through… I would have assumed the same things. I wanted to explain everything to you, but…"

"I'm sorry, Ma. For everything. Especially the way I treated you…"

Milly pulled Mark into her arms, shaking her head.

"I'm just glad you're home."

Mother and son stood there for several moments before Mark finally took a step back.

"...Where's Pa?"

"...He went on a walk a while ago… I'm not sure where he was headed."

"...I think I do. Would you… would you mind putting some coffee on for us for when we get back?"

"Of course."

Milly gave Mark one more hug before he kissed her on the cheek. Mark mounted up again and headed towards that familiar spot in the woods.

When Mark caught sight of Lucas about thirty yards off, he dismounted and ground tied the horse. He slowly approached his Pa, trying to figure out just what he was going to say. But when he finally reached Lucas, only one word could escape his lips.

"...Pa?"

Hearing his son's voice, Lucas whipped around to see Mark standing in front of him. Tears forming in his eyes, Lucas didn't hesitate in throwing his arms around his son.

"Oh, thank God…" After just holding Mark for a moment, Lucas held his son at an arm's length and looked him over; faded bruises still visible. "Are you alright?"

Mark nodded as the lump in his throat continued to swell.

"...Pa, I… I thought you tried to kill me!"

As tears once again burst from Mark's eyes, Lucas pulled his son back into an embrace.

"I know; I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

This time, Mark was the one to break the embrace. He took a step back, shaking his head.

"No, Pa, this is my fault, and mine alone."

"If I had told you-"

"I was on the range. You couldn't come tell me and talk me out of going with you. You did the only thing you could… ask Ma not to say anything. I should have trusted you."

"After this spring, I can understand why you didn't. I shouldn't have tried keeping it from you…"

"That wasn't the mistake. The mistake was mine in assuming you had gotten yourself into trouble. The mistake was mine in leaving before you could explain. The mistake was mine in not coming home, sooner. ...But I was scared. Scared that what I assumed had happen, really did happen. Scared that… that the one person I've always been able to trust… had betrayed me. Pa, I…"

Looking into his son's eyes, Lucas knew there were some things Mark needed to talk through. He put a hand on his son's shoulder, and together they sat down on a fallen log.

"...I didn't know what to think. I was scared… and hurt… confused… angry, bitter… and the only thing I could think to do was run away. I couldn't talk to anyone about it… I was afraid to talk about it… to admit that… that you had tried to kill me. I didn't want it to be true. ...Pa… when John did what he did… I was shaken to my core. You were the only person that got me through that. ...And then…"

"...And then you thought I did the same thing to you. Mark, I'm sorry. Tom and I had already worked out faking his death, and then you arrived. I didn't want to even think about aiming at you, but another outlaw was going for his gun… Son, I didn't have a choice."

"Now that I know the whole story, I wouldn't have blamed you for taking the shot, even if it had been a real bullet. ...At first I couldn't really comprehend what was happening. When you turned on me, I thought it must have been a mistake. ...But then… I thought I heard disappointment in your voice as you said that you missed."

"No, Mark. Not disappointment. I was confused and… and honestly scared. You were bleeding… I thought something had happened and that somehow I had actually shot you. Son, it killed me… watching what they did to you. But there were ten of them and if I tried something…"

"You don't have to explain, Pa. I… I went against your wishes. ...I could have really messed things up for you. Instead of helping you, I just made things worse. I'm sorry, Pa."

Lucas put an arm around his son and pulled him close.

"I can't tell you how glad I am that you're alright. ...What made you come back?"

"...I finally broke down and told Cassie what happened. She pointed out that if you had really tried to kill me, I would be dead and that you wouldn't have tried to help me escape. ...She told me we needed to find out what the whole story was… and that she was going to do it whether I came with her or not."

"Where are Cassie and the boys? At the house?"

"No, I left them in town… I needed some time to myself before I came to you. ...Pa, I'm sorry… I could have ended up getting you killed..."

"It's over, Mark. And I promise, no more secrets."

"...Isn't that already a rule?" Mark teased.

"No, not really," Lucas sighed. "...I mean it this time. You're a man, not a little boy… and one of my few trusted friends. No more secrets… and that… that includes my past. ...Anything you want to know, I'll tell you." Lucas hesitated before going on. "...I know you've always wondered about my reputation…"

Mark put a hand on Lucas's arm, stopping him. As Mark looked into his father's eyes, he could tell this was something Lucas really didn't want to talk about.

"...I don't want to know, unless you want to talk about it. Even if that means I never find out."

"...Thank you, Mark."

**23MC23**

Lucas and Mark spent a while longer talking before they headed to town. As they walked into the hotel lobby, Lou came at Mark with a newspaper.

"Mark McCain, I ought ta tan yer hide! Do ya have any idea how worried ya made yer Ma?!"

"Take it easy on him, Lou," Lucas said. "He thought I tried to kill him."

"Do ya have any idea how worried ya made me?!"

"I'm sorry…"

Lou gave Mark one more swat before pulling him into a hug.

"Oh, I'm so glad ya are alright."

"Where are Cassie and the boys?"

"They're in my office; Cassie didn't want to use a room until she knew for sure ya were stayin'."

"Thanks, Aunt Lou."

Lucas and Mark walked back to the office. As they walked inside, Daniel ran up to Lucas, calling for him.

"Gan'Pa, Gan'Pa!"

"It's so good to see you!" Lucas picked his grandson up and threw him in the air. "Did you have a good time in New Jersey?"

"Gan'Pa, bucked-board move, no horse!"

Lucas looked to Mark and Cassie in confusion. Mark chuckled, shaking his head.

"...You remember when I asked you if they would ever invent something to replace the horse, and you looked at me like I had eaten locoweed?"

"Don't tell me…"

"They went and did it. They call it a horseless carriage. But I couldn't even begin to explain how it works."

"...It'll never catch on."

"I don't know," Cassie commented. "...It _was_ rather impressive."

"A sideshow attraction will never compare to a horse, trust me," Lucas assured as he pulled Cassie into a side hug.

"Guess only time will tell," Mark replied.

"So I'm assuming we're not staying the night?" Cassie asked, handing a squirming Matthew to Mark.

"...As long as we're still welcome back home?"

"Of course you are," Lucas replied. "The ranch will always be your home and you'll never, not be welcome."

Lucas drove Mark and his family back to the ranch. Milly and Micah came out and greeted everyone before ushering Cassie and the children inside.

"Go ahead, Pa, I'll take care of the horses."

"Mark, I…"

"I'll give him a hand, Lucas," Tom called as he came from the porch. "You go in and warm up."

"Are you sure?"

"The house was getting a little too warm for me, anyway. I could use some fresh air."

"Thanks." Lucas turned to Mark and slapped his shoulder. "I love you, Son."

"Love you too, Pa."

Tom and Mark both started tending to the horses as Lucas headed inside.

"Well it sure is good to see you alive," Mark said. "Any reason you couldn't tell me that my Pa was about to murder you?"

"Yeah, about ten. I saw them coming up on us and I didn't want any of the outlaws hearing me explain our plan."

"...I guess that's a good enough reason."

"...I am sorry you got pulled into this, Mark."

"It was my own fault. I should have listened when Ma said Pa didn't want me to follow him."

"You alright? Looks like those outlaws did quite a number on you."

"I've lived through worse."

"So your Pa tells me. Seems you lead quite an exciting life."

"I'd trade it in for a boring one any day of the week."

Mark and Tom led the horses to Mark's barn, where Mark noticed that the mustang that had found him in the woods was still there.

"I thought Micah would've let you go by now, boy," Mark said as he petted the horse in passing.

"I think I heard Micah telling your Pa that he tore something, not just strained a tendon."

"That makes sense."

Tom and Mark finished taking care of the horses without saying much of anything. Before Mark could leave the barn, however, Tom stopped him.

"Why'd you do it?"

"...Do what?"

"Send all that money to your Pa anonymously."

Mark let out a heavy sigh as both men sat down on a hay bale across from each other.

"...A couple reasons. First of all, I knew my Pa didn't want to take money from me. It would've made him feel bad… and probably hurt his pride. ...Secondly… I found out that Pa had taken out a loan on the ranch without telling me. ...Pa has always considered this "our" ranch… and even though I've felt it's always been "our" home… I knew the land and cattle and all that was a result of his hard earned money. I wanted to fight for our home, I didn't want to lose it; but giving Pa that money… it also let me actually feel like I had a part in "our" ranch. I didn't want to feel like I was just piggybacking off of him."

"I can understand."

"...You didn't tell him that I sent the money, did you?"

"No, no," Tom assured. "...I actually started putting the pieces together during a conversation your Pa and I had on the way to Santa Rosa. I should've known… not many people carry a Winchester like that. ...That the reason you didn't introduce yourself in Roswell?"

"Well I was going to, but when I realized you didn't recognize me and I saw that you were undercover…"

"How did you know that?"

"Your nameplate was wrong. Anyway, I figured it might be best to keep quiet."

"Do you mind me asking where you did get all that money? Or is it still none of my business?"

"When I was seventeen, I accidentally apprehended that Ketchum brothers."

"Accidentally?"

"It's a long story. Anyway, I initially tried refusing the reward money, but when I turned twenty-one, our banker told me it had been put in a trust for me. I decided to put it away for emergencies… I knew having that kind of cash readily available might come in handy one day."

"You're a very humble man, Mark. Few men would be willing to do what you did without taking the credit."

"I wouldn't care even if I did get the credit. But he's my Pa… and I think it would hurt him to find out that I knew about the loan. It's hard for my Pa to accept help and he was already going through enough at the time. Telling him I knew… it just would have made everything worse. ...So if you wouldn't mind not saying anything to anyone…"

"Mum's the word."

**24MC24**

The weeks passed, Benton returning to Denver before Christmas finally arrived. Mark and Cassie hosted Christmas dinner at their home, the usual crowd in attendance with the exception of the Osbornes and Rachael. A snow storm had hit Maryland, preventing Anna from coming, and Rachael and Ned had sent word that they weren't going to be able to make it.

However, just as everyone was making their way to the dining room, a knock sounded at the front door. Mark excused himself to answer it, a wide smile crossing his face when he saw his bother-in-law's family standing on the porch.

"Room for three more?"

"I'll have to ask Cassie," Mark teased as he let them inside, shaking Ned's hand. "I thought you couldn't get the time off?"

"The schedules got changed at the last minute. I had to cover for someone earlier this week, so I was able to get a few days off."

"Well you're just in time; we were just getting ready to sit down."

As Mark led the way to the dining room, Helen asked why they had rebuilt.

"There was a fire shortly after you moved. Since we were rebuilding anyway, we figured it'd be a good idea to build down here. We were getting tired of going up and down that hill."

When Mark walked inside the dining room, Cassie asked who was at the door.

"Just a few stragglers, looking for a warm meal."

Ned and Helen then made their entrance and was warmly greeted by the family. As Helen went to give Cassie a hug, her shall parted, showing her pregnancy.

"Congratulations!" Cassie exclaimed, giving Helen, then Ned a hug.

"Congratulations?" Lou asked.

"...Seems that Amelia is going to be a big sister," Ned answered.

The room exploded with congratulations, allowing a few hushed, teasing remarks to be made between the men without their wives hearing.

When things finally settled, Mark asked Reverend Graft to say the blessing.

It was a day well enjoyed by everyone present. Afternoon quickly turned to evening, and all too soon the guests started taking their leave. After everyone was gone, the McCains and Micah gathered in Milly and Lucas's front room to exchange gifts and to read the account of the first Christmas.

Afterwards, Lucas and Mark went to work on the chores in their respective barns. When Mark had finished, he spent some time working with the injured mustang.

"So what's the story behind him?"

Mark turned to see his Pa walking into the barn.

"That day I got shot… he just showed up out of nowhere. If it hadn't been for him… well, I'll just say there was no way I was going to be able to walk the rest of the way home."

"...Do you have any idea who it was?"

Mark slowly nodded as he handed his Pa a telegram.

"Amos asked Uncle Johnny to bring this out to me today."

Lucas looked down at the wire.

"MARK McCAIN

NORTH FORK, NEW MEXICO

Hope you enjoyed your present.

Sorry it was a few weeks early.

I look forward to doing this again sometime.

R.R."

Lucas looked back up at his son in confusion.

"R.R.?"

"Raymond Reaper."

"Are you sure?"

"That last line… when we first met… when I let him get away…"

Lucas could hear the frustration in his son's voice and interrupted him.

"That wasn't your fault, Mark."

"...He said he hoped we could do it again sometime. I think the man's sick in the head… he wasn't fazed at all by what had happened… it was like it was all a game to him."

"...Do you think he'll come back and try to kill you?"

"No… I think he enjoys playing cat and mouse. ...It just makes me uneasy, not knowing what his next move is going to be."

"I'll let Johnny and Curt know what's going on so they can keep an eye out in town."

Mark stood and patted the horse on the neck before stepping out of the stall and locking the gate. He started heading towards the barn doors, but Lucas's voice stopped him.

"...Mark, I need to talk to you about something."

Mark turned around, hearing the seriousness in his Pa's voice.

"Is something wrong?"

Lucas walked to his son and put a hand on his shoulder, directing Mark to sit down on a hay bale. Lucas took a seat beside his son, pulling something from the inside pocket of his jacket.

"I didn't really want to do this around everyone else because… well, this is something between you and me. Besides, I don't think it really counts as a present."

"What is it?"

"Just open it, you'll see."

Mark took the envelope from his Pa and opened it. He unfolded the paper that was inside and found himself staring at the deed for the ranch. He had seen it a dozen times, but this was different. On the bottom of the page, he saw his name next to his Pa's. Mark looked up at Lucas in confusion.

"Pa… I…"

"You don't need to say anything, Mark. After all, you paid for well over half of it."

Mark stared at his Pa in shock.

"But I… how did you…?"

"When you and Tom were talking in the barn, I had come out to ask you two what you were wanting to drink when you came back in. ...I overheard him ask you about the money."

"Pa, I…"

"I really should have figured it out. Even without knowing about the loan, you could have easily figured out the trouble we were really in and were the only person who would have known the kind of money we were needing… besides John Hamilton, but he insisted he had nothing to do with it."

"...Pa, you should know that I didn't find out about the loan by accident."

"I figured as much. ...But I'm glad you did what you did. Thank you, Mark. If it hadn't been for you… we probably would have lost the ranch."

"...I would understand if you were upset. I had no right to look through those papers."

"You had every right, Son. This is _our _ranch after all, and now we have documents that prove it."

"You didn't have to go and-"

"I wanted to." Lucas briefly paused before continuing. "...Son, is there anything else you're not telling me to spare my feelings?"

Lucas could see the conflict in Mark's eyes.

"What is it?"

"...It's not about sparing your feelings, but…" Mark hesitated, letting out a deep breath. "...What you said when I came back home, about there not being a rule, but promising not to keep secrets… Pa, I trust you. From now on, I want to tell you everything. But… there are some things I can't tell you, because they involve another person."

"Mark, I understand. There are always going to be limitations when it comes to other people being involved. But for things just between the two of us, I do want you to know that there will be no secrets on my end."

"Or on mine."

Both men stood and Lucas gave his son a hug. He then took a step back and put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"You know, the one thing that probably threw me off the most was the note you sent with the money."

"The most?" Mark asked in bewilderment. "You've saved my life more times than I can remember!"

"It's different… I never consider that something you have to thank me for. We're partners… I've got your back."

—

*Book excerpts taken from Edward Lear's _"Book of Nonsense._"

*_Love's Old Sweet Song_ was published by James Lynam Molloy and G. Clifton Bingham in 1884.


End file.
